In this video first shown on Medscape Cardiology, Michael Ackerman, M.D., and Peter Noseworthy, M.D., discuss the evaluation of patients with sudden death. For more information, visit https://www.mayoclinic.org/department...

Although sudden cardiac death is considered death within 24 hours of a patient last being seen healthy or within an hour of symptom onset, research has shown that approximately 40% of those deaths were noncardiac related. A thorough evaluation and autopsy should be considered to determine actual cause of death as in some cases the cause could be hereditary.

Video Content Outline:
• Introduction
• Sudden death studies (0:22)
• Preventing sudden death (3:32)
• Implication of noncardiac causes (6:08)
• Molecular autopsy in suspicious death (9:25)
• Conclusion (11:42)