Sudden cardiac death

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) refers to sudden death caused by various cardiac causes. It can occur in patients with or without pre-existing heart disease, often without any life-threatening prodromal manifestations, with sudden loss of consciousness and death within 1 hour after the onset of acute symptoms. It is a non-traumatic natural death characterized by unexpectedly rapid death. More than 91% of SCD cases are caused by arrhythmias, while certain non-arrhythmic events such as cardiac rupture and pulmonary embolism can also lead to rapid death within 1 hour, but their mechanisms and prevention/treatment differ from arrhythmic sudden death. With the clinical application of the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), understanding of SCD has been further deepened through its monitoring system.