A generally healthy 23-year-old male is attending a dinner party with his co-workers. While eating dinner he suddenly complains of chest discomfort and bends over. A co-worker asks him if he is choking or breathing difficult but he says no. He holds his chest with his both hands and then collapses on the floor. He is brought to the ED in 10 minutes and found breathless and pulseless. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is immediately initiated on him but he is unsuccessfully resucitaed.
What is the most likely cause of his death? (other than anaphylax)
I had previously healthy 17 year old came to our ER where he had full blown MI but his symptom prograssion was so slow. He had positive toxicology screen. Young kid & MI has only few reason as mentioned by 吉四六さん。
I agree with you guys ! I think it is sudden cardiac death.
When we think about his age, probably hypertrophic cardiomylopathy is the most likely autopsy result. but still other things such as HIV relaed long QT- syndrome related, ideopathic etc anything could be possible.
I remember that during residency, I saw 22yo male who looked "not so good" he came to be sen for something minor such as URI sxs, but his skin color is a little bluish, and he lacked energy. I thought something was not looking normal about him. so, I decided to do basic labs, and also ecg. ECG was a good catch, it showed ST depression. He admit that he is a cocaine user.
Long QT syndrome, Short QT syndrome(最近認識されてきた不整脈), Brugada syndrome などの疾患もあります。Brugada syndromeはどなたの鑑別にも挙がっていなかったですね。Brugada syndromeは90年以降認識されてきたVFを起こす不整脈で、若い成人の突然死の原因としては(生後6ヶ月から70才すぎの人まで対象になります)必ず鑑別の一つとして挙げるべきものです。sudden unexplained death syndromen の原因としても重要です。