| Sudden cardiac death: a 2400-year-old diagnosis? | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 12821218 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Sudden cardiac death is one of the most important causes of mortality in the modern industrialized world. Although it has been described for at least several centuries, we believe in fact that Hippocrates provided a concise, but historically compelling, description of sudden cardiac death in his Aphorisms II, 41: "Those who are subject to frequent and severe fainting attacks without obvious cause die suddenly." This would be the earliest description of sudden cardiac death known. The Aphorism was analyzed in the context of genuine Hippocratic writings as well as ancient Greek culture. The Aphorism describes recurrent syncope in otherwise healthy individuals. Therefore, only certain select cardiac conditions are likely described by this Aphorism. Such conditions-long QT syndrome, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, congenital coronary artery syndromes, and arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, chief among them-are linked by a final common pathway of an arrhythmic death. Relying solely on clinical experience based on careful history-taking and keen powers of observation, Hippocrates was the first to describe sudden cardiac death due to a select group of cardiac conditions. This analysis establishes such conditions as being an important cause of sudden death 2400 years ago, much as they are among the most important causes of sudden death today. |
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Authors:
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Sunil Mirchandani; Colin K L Phoon |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Biography; Historical Article; Journal Article |
Journal Detail:
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Title: International journal of cardiology Volume: 90 ISSN: 0167-5273 ISO Abbreviation: Int. J. Cardiol. Publication Date: 2003 Jul |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2003-06-24 Completed Date: 2003-11-21 Revised Date: 2006-07-12 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 8200291 Medline TA: Int J Cardiol Country: Ireland |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 41-8 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Pediatric Cardiology Program, New York University School of Medicine, 540 First Avenue, TWR Suite 9U, New York, NY 10016, USA. |
Export Citation:
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APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Death, Sudden, Cardiac* Greece Heart Diseases / history History, Ancient Humans Syncope / history |
| Personal Name Subject | |
Personal Name Subject:
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Hippocrates |
| Comments/Corrections | |
Comment In:
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Int J Cardiol. 2004 Jul;96(1):117
[PMID:
15203271
]
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From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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