Sudden Cardiac Death

SUDDEN DEATH is defined by the World Health Organization as death occurring from natural causes within 24 hours of the onset of acute illness.1,2 Sudden death remains one of the major unresolved public health problems in the United States accounting for approximately 15-20% of all fatalities.3,4 Even though a variety of cardiovascular and noncardiovascular ailments can culminate in sudden death, cardiac etiology is overwhelmingly the most common underlying pathology in these individuals.3,5,6