Sudden death is not always caused by heart disease! A 50-year-old patient survived a near-death experience. This lesson is worth noting.

Even the family members lamented that this patient had been to the gates of hell .

At 9 o'clock in the evening, a 50-year-old man felt chest pain after drinking, and his family members quickly called 120 to send him to the hospital. After the patient arrived at the hospital, his symptoms gradually eased, and he shouted that he wanted to go home.

When the doctor and family members were explaining the risks of the disease, the patient suddenly convulsed, his eyes went straight, and he lost consciousness. The ECG monitor showed a malignant arrhythmia - ventricular fibrillation! The doctor immediately performed emergency treatment, and after 9 defibrillations and nearly 10 minutes of chest compressions , he finally pulled the patient back from the brink of sudden death and sent him to the ICU for further treatment.

The family member asked the doctor: "Is this a heart attack? Do we need to do a cardiac angiography?"

The doctor took the patient's electrocardiogram and explained: "This is long QT syndrome, a heart rhythm disorder that can cause ventricular fibrillation or even cardiac arrest. It is different from myocardial infarction ."

When it comes to sudden death, people often say on the Internet that it is caused by sudden myocardial infarction. This is not scientific! There are many diseases that can cause sudden death, and the prevention methods are also different. Let's take a look:

1. Arrhythmia

A heartbeat that is too fast or too slow may cause sudden death. For example, ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation in rapid arrhythmias, sinus bradycardia and high-degree atrioventricular block in chronic arrhythmias may cause cardiac arrest and lead to death.

Therefore, in addition to assessing whether there is myocardial ischemia, regular electrocardiograms should also pay attention to changes in heart rhythm. If you suddenly experience dizziness or loss of consciousness, you must perform an electrocardiogram or a 24-hour dynamic electrocardiogram to rule out the possibility of arrhythmia.

2. Aortic Dissection

The aorta is the main blood vessel that runs through the entire chest and abdomen. If the aortic intima is damaged, the high-speed blood flow will quickly tear the aortic wall. The patient will feel severe tearing pain in the chest and abdomen. The mortality rate of acute aortic dissection within 48 hours is as high as 50%. Many celebrities have died suddenly due to aortic dissection, such as Einstein, Charles de Gaulle, Li Siguang, etc.

More than 80% of aortic dissections are related to hypertension, and there will be inconsistency in blood pressure on both sides. When chest pain is accompanied by high blood pressure, it is important to measure blood pressure on both sides. If the pressure difference exceeds 20 mmHg, be careful of aortic dissection.

3. Myocarditis

If you don't get enough rest and treatment after a cold, there is a risk of inducing myocarditis. Since viruses and other pathogens invade the myocardium, blood tests will show elevated myocardial enzymes. Especially for young people, it may even cause severe myocarditis, multiple organ failure, malignant arrhythmia, shock, and even sudden death.

Therefore, if you suffer from respiratory diseases such as a cold, you must pay attention to rest and avoid going to work while sick. If you experience symptoms such as palpitations, difficulty breathing, or even blacking out in front of your eyes, seek medical attention immediately and be careful of the possibility of myocarditis.

I am Dr. Zhang from the Department of Cardiology. If you like my popular science articles, please like them! You can also share them with friends in need! Follow me to see more health knowledge about heart disease!