Identify 'hidden culprit' causing sudden death in young people

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is considered a frequent cause of death for young athletes, who have no obvious symptoms.

Scientists at Yale University, USA, have discovered that tissue structures, called extracellular matrices and involved in mechanical support for cells, can play an important role. in the development of dangerous heart disease, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

In this situation, a healthy looking person can suddenly die from physical overload. That is the conclusion published in the press release on MedicalXpress Magazine.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is considered a frequent cause of death for young sportsmen.

The researchers found that the extracellular matrix ECM is involved in the progression of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - a genetic disorder in which cardiac muscle thickens.

Scientists have studied the formation of ECM connective tissue in pigs, a model of animal cardiomyopathy. Defective heart cells are removed from the tissue and replaced by healthy heart muscle cells. However, it turns out that the circulatory process becomes less rhythmic and slows.

Scientists have also determined that cardiac tissue on ill-affected matrices requires double effort, to reach the same length with tissue on a healthy matrix. The stiffness of the supporting structure makes the cells become larger, which explains excessive growth and muscle thickening in cardiomyopathy.

With cardiomyopathy hypertrophy, which is inherited and affects about 1/500 people, takes place in the left ventricle and must be thickened. This condition is considered a frequent cause of death for young sportsmen, who have no obvious symptoms. Older patients often die from heart failure.

The main causes of sudden death

According to the American Heart Association and Mayo Clinic Medical Center, there are 4 main causes of sudden death both inside and outside the hospital, including: cardiovascular problems, stroke, pulmonary embolism and rupture aorta .

There are 4 main causes of sudden death, both inside and outside the hospital.

Cardiovascular problems: Mainly cardiac arrest and myocardial infarction

This is the leading cause of sudden death with 17.3 million deaths a year, which is expected to increase to more than 23.6 million in 2030. In the United States, about 326,000 patients suffer cardiac arrest each year and only nearly 11% survived, mostly men. The cause of cardiac arrest is usually hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (a genetic predisposition and this is the most common cause), coronary artery abnormalities, congenital heart disease, myocarditis, Brugada syndrome . .

For the cause of myocardial infarction, there is one person in the United States every 43 seconds, of which about one-fifth have no clinical symptoms.

Stroke (stroke)

There are two types of strokes: cerebral thrombosis or cerebral vascular rupture. Congestive stroke accounts for the majority (80%), often related to cardiovascular disease and high blood fat. A ruptured stroke is usually caused by uncontrolled hypertension and alcohol consumption.

Brain vascular accident is more common in people over 60 years of age, more men than women. Disease if it happens to women, the prognosis is more severe.

Sudden death due to blood clots causes pulmonary embolism (pulmonary embolism)

Deep blood clots often form when we are inactive for a long time. Pulmonary embolism usually occurs in bedridden people because of a serious illness or injury, or people recovering from surgery. This risk is also increased for those who sit for long periods of inactivity on long-distance flights or car trips.

Blood clots that appear in the pulmonary arteries clog the blood vessels in - out the lungs to exchange air, leading to a sudden lack of oxygen and death. Every year, about 60-100 thousand people die from pulmonary embolism, of which 25% die suddenly with two symptoms: dyspnea and chest pain.

With conditions causing stroke, doctors have very little time to deal with and patients often die quickly.

Aortic aneurysm

The aorta is the largest artery in the body, which serves as the largest channel to help circulate blood throughout the body. For some reason (old age, chronic disease, infection, high blood pressure .) the vascular wall weakens, swells, causes aneurysm. One of them will cause a rupture of the aorta, the patient will lose blood very quickly and massively, 90% will die in a heartbeat.