CLASSIFICATION OF DEATH IN PATIENTS UNDER ANTIARRHYTHMIC TREATMENT

In the evaluation of antiarrhythmic treatment, total motality and tota l cardiac mortality are the only endpoints difficult to misclassify. E nd-stage cardiac failure competes with ''suddenness'' in many instance s of sudden arrhythmic death. This observational study reports on 23 d eaths in a group of 129 patients under antiarrhythmic treatment. In th e 21 cases of cardiac death, with respect to the notion ''sudden arrhy thmic death,'' classification was problematic in 6 patients. According to different interpretations, the number of deaths listed as ''sudden '' could vary between one and six. A concise description of cause and circumstances of death, is presented.