Sudden adult death

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dc.contributor.authorLanglois, N.
dc.date.issued2009
dc.descriptionThe original publication is available at www.springerlink.com
dc.description.abstractIn the investigation of sudden death in adults, channelopathies, such as long QT syndrome, have risen to the fore in the minds of forensic pathologists in recent years. Examples of these disorders are touched upon in this review as an absence of abnormal findings at postmortem examination is characteristic and the importance of considering the diagnosis lies in the heritable nature of these conditions. Typically, a diagnosis of a possible channelopathy is evoked as an explanation for a 'negative autopsy' in a case of apparent sudden natural death. However, the one potential adverse effect of this approach is that subtle causes of sudden death may be overlooked. The intention of this article is to review and discuss potential causes of sudden adult death (mostly natural) that should be considered before resorting to a diagnosis of possible channelopathy. Nonetheless, it becomes apparent that many of the potential causes of sudden death can have a genetic basis. Thus, it becomes an important consideration that there may be a genetic basis to sudden death that extends beyond the negative autopsy.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityNeil E. I. Langlois
dc.identifier.citationForensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology, 2009; 5(3):210-232
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s12024-009-9099-3
dc.identifier.issn1547-769X
dc.identifier.issn1556-2891
dc.identifier.orcidLanglois, N. [0000-0001-9176-8522]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/51326
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherHumana Press, Inc.
dc.rights© Humana Press 2009
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-009-9099-3
dc.subjectAdult
dc.subjectDeath
dc.subjectSudden
dc.subjectAutopsy
dc.subjectCause of death
dc.titleSudden adult death
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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