Precursors of cardiogenic sudden death during sleep

Written by Chen Guang Yin
Cardiology
Updated on September 08, 2024
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Before the onset of cardiac arrest during sleep, patients often exhibit symptoms of coronary heart disease such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, and palpitations. Often, these individuals do not pay enough attention to the symptoms, do not undergo timely medical examinations at a hospital, and consequently, there is a delay in the treatment of the condition. It is very unfortunate that sudden deaths occur during sleep, possibly due to fatigue, poor rest, and underlying heart disease, which then leads to cardiac arrest. The precursors of such events can vary from person to person; symptoms may include chest tightness and palpitations, among others. Therefore, it is important that we pay attention to these signs.

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Written by Chen Guang Yin
Cardiology
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What causes cyanosis of the face and lips in sudden cardiac death?

In patients with cardiogenic sudden death, we can see that their lips turn purple, commonly referred to as cyanosis of the lips. Similarly, their faces also turn purple. This primarily results from cardiac arrest caused by cardiogenic sudden death. Once the heart stops beating, the blood supply to the entire body, including the heart, brain, kidneys, peripheral vessels, face, skin, and fingers, is halted. This leads to a state of hypoxia. The purple discoloration (cyanosis) occurs because, after the heart stops, there is no blood flow and no oxygen exchange in the blood, ultimately leading to hypoxia.

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Written by Chen Guang Yin
Cardiology
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How to self-rescue from sudden cardiac death

Sudden cardiac death is now also a very critical illness often occurring in coronary heart disease. We frequently see news reports of sudden deaths at airports and public places. At such times, self-rescue is extremely difficult. Unless you have a history of coronary heart disease and carry medications with you, if you experience symptoms like chest tightness and shortness of breath, you could take these medications to help yourself. Otherwise, sudden cardiac death occurs abruptly, causing the heart to stop beating within a very short period, and the patient cannot self-rescue.

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Written by Chen Guang Yin
Cardiology
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Is sudden cardiac death hereditary?

The majority of sudden cardiac deaths are caused by acute and extensive myocardial infarction, with some caused by malignant arrhythmias. Coronary atherosclerotic heart disease has a genetic history. Patients with such a family history, especially those with early-onset heart disease family history—that is, a family history of heart disease before the age of 50—should be given high attention. Heart disease has a genetic predisposition, and since sudden cardiac death is a type of heart disease, it also has a genetic predisposition.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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Can cardiogenic sudden death cause vomiting?

Sudden cardiac death is commonly seen in three scenarios. The first scenario involves severe arrhythmias, such as ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, or cardiac arrest, which do not cause vomiting. The second scenario is due to severe valvular dysfunction caused by acute myocardial infarction or valvular disease, which also generally does not cause vomiting. The third scenario concerns patients with severe cardiac diseases who have mural thrombi in their hearts. If a thrombus detaches, it can lead to fatal systemic embolism. For instance, if the thrombus travels to the cerebral arteries, it can cause cerebellar or cerebral artery occlusion, leading to brain herniation. This may result in symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting, and limb dysfunction. If it travels to the mesenteric artery, it can cause gastrointestinal pain and result in vomiting. Therefore, some cases of sudden cardiac death may cause vomiting.

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Written by Chen Guang Yin
Cardiology
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Does cardiogenic sudden death cause vomiting blood?

Of course, sudden cardiac death is now a very common cause of death. At places like airports and bus stations, we often see reports of such incidents, and many young people are also affected. However, patients experiencing sudden cardiac death generally do not present with symptoms of vomiting blood, as it is caused by cardiac arrest. Vomiting blood is usually associated with conditions such as gastric ulcers leading to severe bleeding, gastric cancer, or cirrhosis leading to rupture of varicose veins at the base of the stomach. The likelihood of vomiting blood occurring in cases of sudden cardiac death is very low, almost nonexistent.