Biomaterial Database

[Sudden death in patients with chagasic myocarditis]. 1996

A J Fuenmayor, and A M Fuenmayor

Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Dr. Abdel M. Fuenmayor P., Universidad, Mérida, Venezuela.

We review the literature on sudden cardiac death in patients with chagasic myocarditis. Taking into account the published data, we discuss the differences between sudden cardiac death that occur in chagasic patients and that of patients with other cardiac diseases in particular with ischemic heart disease. On the basis of these differences, alternative physiopathological mechanisms are proposed: in chagasic patients, tachyarrhythmias are more frequently mediated by post-potential activity, and thus a larger proportion of brady-asystolic sudden death occurs.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009205	Myocarditis	Inflammatory processes of the muscular walls of the heart (MYOCARDIUM) which result in injury to the cardiac muscle cells (MYOCYTES, CARDIAC). Manifestations range from subclinical to sudden death (DEATH, SUDDEN). Myocarditis in association with cardiac dysfunction is classified as inflammatory CARDIOMYOPATHY usually caused by INFECTION, autoimmune diseases, or responses to toxic substances. Myocarditis is also a common cause of DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY and other cardiomyopathies.	Carditis,Myocarditides
D002598	Chagas Cardiomyopathy	A disease of the CARDIAC MUSCLE developed subsequent to the initial protozoan infection by TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI. After infection, less than 10% develop acute illness such as MYOCARDITIS (mostly in children). The disease then enters a latent phase without clinical symptoms until about 20 years later. Myocardial symptoms of advanced CHAGAS DISEASE include conduction defects (HEART BLOCK) and CARDIOMEGALY.	Cardiomyopathy, Chagas,Myocarditis, Chagas,Trypanosomiasis, Cardiovascular,Chagas' Cardiomyopathy,Cardiomyopathy, Chagas',Cardiovascular Trypanosomiasis
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001145	Arrhythmias, Cardiac	Any disturbances of the normal rhythmic beating of the heart or MYOCARDIAL CONTRACTION. Cardiac arrhythmias can be classified by the abnormalities in HEART RATE, disorders of electrical impulse generation, or impulse conduction.	Arrhythmia,Arrythmia,Cardiac Arrhythmia,Cardiac Arrhythmias,Cardiac Dysrhythmia,Arrhythmia, Cardiac,Dysrhythmia, Cardiac
D016757	Death, Sudden, Cardiac	Unexpected rapid natural death due to cardiovascular collapse within one hour of initial symptoms. It is usually caused by the worsening of existing heart diseases. The sudden onset of symptoms, such as CHEST PAIN and CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS, particularly VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA, can lead to the loss of consciousness and cardiac arrest followed by biological death. (from Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine, 7th ed., 2005)	Cardiac Sudden Death,Sudden Cardiac Death,Cardiac Arrest, Sudden,Sudden Cardiac Arrest,Arrest, Sudden Cardiac,Cardiac Arrests, Sudden,Cardiac Death, Sudden,Death, Cardiac Sudden,Death, Sudden Cardiac,Sudden Death, Cardiac