SUDDEN UNEXPECTED DEATH FROM CARDIAC CAUSES IN NIGERIANS - A REVIEW OF 50 AUTOPSIED CASES

Fifty cases of sudden and unexpected death from cardiac causes in indi viduals between the ages of 28 and 80 years are reviewed; the causes a nd circumstances of the deaths of these individuals are defined. 70% w ere males and 44% of the deaths occurred in the 41-50 years age group. Death was due to hypertensive heart disease in 82% of the cases and o nly 18% were previously diagnosed. Acute left ventricular failure was the commonest (68%) cause of death. Only 4% of the total died of acute myocardial infarction from coronary artery disease. The causes of sud den cardiac death in a developing country such as Nigeria, appears to be different to the pattern in Western countries. (C) 1998 Elsevier Sc ience Ireland Ltd.