This review emphasizes the importance of targeted evaluation and screening methods, such as ECG and echocardiography, to prevent sudden cardiac death in individuals under 35 years of age.
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) can affect all age groups, including young persons. While less common in the age 35 years of age, the younger population faces a different subset of pathologies associated with SCD, including arrhythmias and cardiomyopathies. The tragic nature of SCD in the young entails that we explore and implement available screening methods for this population, and perform the necessary investigations such as electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography. In this review, we not only explore the vast etiology associated with SCD in those age < 35, but emphasize evaluation methods, who is at risk, and delve into screening of SCD in potential victims and their family members, in an attempt to prevent this traumatic event. Future research must work towards establishing preventative measures in order to reduce SCD, particularly unexplained SCD in the young.
Abbas et al. (Sun,) studied this question.