Forensic Assessment of Natural Unexpected Cardiovascular Death

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Author(s): Gulnaz T. Javan (Alabama State University, USA), Sheree J. Finley (Alabama State University, USA)and Sait Ozsoy (Gulhane Military Medical Academy (GMMA), Turkey)
Copyright: 2017
Pages: 18
Source title: Emerging Applications, Perspectives, and Discoveries in Cardiovascular Research
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Ashim Malhotra (Pacific University, USA)and Shivani Soni (California State University, Fullerton, USA & Chapman University, USA & Alabama State University, USA)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-2092-4.ch018

Keywords: Cardiovascular Medicine / Medical Diagnosis and Practice / Medical Information Science Reference / Medicine & Healthcare

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Abstract

In the United States, sudden unexpected deaths attributable to diseases of the cardiovascular system account for almost 50% of all natural deaths with up to 600,000 deaths per year. Over the past decade, substantial developments have been made to provide definitive determinations in the diagnosis of cardiac death for adjudication in the criminal justice system and closure for decedent's families. In order to make postmortem diagnostic determinations, coordinated multidisciplinary efforts include collaboration between clinical and forensic pathologists. Forensic protocols include examination of the heart, histological sampling, toxicology testing, and molecular analyses. Lack of alternative diagnoses generally prompts pathologists to report sudden cardiac arrest as the main cause of death in many cases even though the accuracy of this finding might be in question; therefore, a forensic pathologist should examine unexplained cases of death in more depth to avoid this possible misdiagnosis.

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Forensic Assessment of Natural Unexpected Cardiovascular Death

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