Affiliations 

  • 1 The Centre for Pathology Diagnostic and Research Laboratories (CPDRL), Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA
  • 2 Institute of Pathology, Laboratory and Forensic Medicine (I-PPerForM), Universiti Teknologi MARA
  • 3 Department of Forensic Medicine, Hospital Sungai Buloh
  • 4 National Institute of Forensic Medicine, Hospital Kuala Lumpur
J Atheroscler Thromb, 2018 May 01;25(5):405-409.
PMID: 29118310 DOI: 10.5551/jat.39107

Abstract

AIMS: The present study aimed to determine the epidemiological aspects of medico-legal autopsies and manifestation of coronary atherosclerosis.

METHODS: This was a cross sectional study involving 222 cases recruited from National Institute of Forensic Medicine (NIFM) Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) and Department of Forensic Medicine Hospital Sungai Buloh (HSgB) for a period of 15 months, from December 2012 to April 2014. Sociodemographic and autopsy findings, including the cause and manner of death were documented.

RESULTS: Male and female subjects aged 18-70 years were recruited. Males contributed to 86% of the total subjects and comprised 61% of young adults. Road traffic accidents were the primary cause of death, contributing almost 50% of the subjects. One third of the cases comprised of death due to natural causes, wherein almost 75% of the subjects within this category succumbed to sudden cardiac death. Coronary artery disease (CAD) contributed to 60% of the sudden cardiac death (SCD). Single and double-vessel diseases were the most common pattern of atherosclerosis. In almost 80% of CAD cases, atherosclerosis affected the left anterior descending artery (LAD).

CONCLUSION: Cardiovascular diseases were the most significant natural cause of sudden death with a staggering figure of 75%. CAD was the single most commonly encountered pathology within the SCD. Most cases presented with single and double-vessel diseases, observed in all subjects, as well as the young adult population.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.