The evolving science on sudden cardiac death–the marriage of left
ventricular hypertrophy and QT dispersion
Abstract
The first description of sudden cardiac death was made by Hippocrates in
the 4‘th century BC1. Such cases of sudden collapse and death has
intrigued both the public and medical science for centuries and a
practical definition is that sudden cardiac death is the unexpected and
natural death from a cardiac cause within a short period of time,
usually less than 1 hour from the onset of symptoms, in a person without
any known prior condition1,2. Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is clearly the
end-result of a wide variety of cardiac conditions—both congenital and
acquired. However, the most common mechanism for the event of SCD is
ventricular fibrillation1. However this is an evolving field of study
and the recent study published by Stojanovic et al3 is of great
importance as it links two well known risk factors for SCD—left
ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and QT-dispersion4. The finding by
Stojanovic et al3 that septal thickness in both athletes and sedentary
men are associated with increased QTd is concerning and future studies
need to clarify if we need to keep the septum thin at all costs with
more exercise for some and less for others.