Congenital coronary artery anomalies as an important cause of sudden death in the young

Cardiol Rev. 2001 Nov-Dec;9(6):312-7. doi: 10.1097/00045415-200111000-00005.

Abstract

Unlike sudden cardiac death in adults and elderly people, sudden cardiac death in young people (< or =35 years) is often triggered by nonatherosclerotic coronary artery disease, either acquired (arteritis, spontaneous dissection) or congenital in origin. In particular, congenital coronary artery malformations were reported as the cause of 5%-35% of sudden death in the young, and a wide range of abnormalities including anomalous origin, course, or both were described.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Coronary Vessel Anomalies / complications*
  • Death, Sudden, Cardiac / epidemiology
  • Death, Sudden, Cardiac / etiology*
  • Death, Sudden, Cardiac / prevention & control
  • Humans