Sudden cardiac death in a young athlete due to anomalous origin of both coronaries from a common ostium

Stefania Zerbo; Giuseppe Albano; Ginevra Malta; A. Alongi; Emiliano Maresi; Antonina Argo

doi:10.1007/s12024-025-00979-9

April 2, 2025Forensic Science Medicine and PathologyOpen Access

Sudden cardiac death in a young athlete due to anomalous origin of both coronaries from a common ostium

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Why the study?

Sudden cardiac death is the leading cause of death in young athletes and often relates to acquired or congenital cardiac disorders.

Structured PICO

P

Population

14-year-old male non-professional athlete, apparently healthy, who died suddenly during a football game

O

Outcome

Autopsy findings determining the cause of sudden cardiac deathhard clinical

This case highlights the high risk of sudden cardiac death in young athletes with rare congenital anomalous origin of the coronary arteries and underlying hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Implication

Alerts clinicians to SCD risk in athletes with anomalous coronaries plus HCM; case report leaves open screening protocols.

Abstract

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young people is a tragic event and a worldwide public health issue. SCD is the most common cause of death in young athletes and is related to acquired/congenital cardiac disorders, such as cardiomyopathies, congenital coronary anomalies and ion channelopathies. We report the case of a 14-year-old male non professional athlete who was apparently healthy but suddenly died during a football game. His clinical history was negative for any significant medical illness. At autopsy, a congenital anomalous origin of both the right and left coronary arteries from a single aortic ostium above the aortic cusp was observed with a concomitant hypertophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) The toxicological analysis was negative for common drugs of abuse. The death was attributed to SCD due to hyperkinetic ventricular arrhythmia secondary to myocardial ischemia in a subject with an anomalous origin of both coronary arteries and underlying hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This report highlights a rare congenital anomalous origin of the coronary arteries associated with a high risk of SCD, particularly in young athletes.