Two deaths after sudden severe asthma attacks in young people are reported from a clinic set up to identify and manage "at risk" patients. These deaths occurred despite frequent visits at which recommendations made by previous studies were implemented. The risk factors and management of such episodes have been reviewed. Precautions taken proved inadequate due to the severe, abrupt nature of the...

Recent advances in molecular biology have advanced our understanding of the genetic substrate predisposing to sudden death, especially in monogenic disorders. Numerous ion channels along with membrane structural proteins have been extensively investigated for their role in the genesis of serious ventricular tachyarrhythmias. The complex interplay of various biological pathways culminating in th...

\s=b\This study was designed to evaluate the impact of antihypertensive therapy on cardiac dysrhythmias in 13 hypertensive patients who received calcium entry blockers and in 10 hypertensive patients who received hydrochlorothiazide. Mean arterial pressure fell to a similar extent in both treatment groups; however, left ventricular mass index decreased (from 102\m=+-\4to 95\m=+-\2 g/m2) only in...

Cerebral pressure autoregulation is the specific intrinsic ability of the cerebrovasculature to maintain constant cerebral blood flow over a range of blood pressures. This is generally observed between a mean arterial blood pressure of approximately 50–150 mmHg and it protects against cerebral ischaemia due to hypotension and against excessive flow (malignant hyperaemia) during hypertension, wh...

the death of a child is probably the most traumatic event any parent can experience. this tragedy is made worse if the child dies in its sleep, appar­ ently for no reason. Sudden infant death syndrome (SiDS) inevitably strikes horror into parents’ hearts; it usually happens at night and occurs in complete silence—there is no fight for life or breath to warn parents that something is horribly wr...

Sudden death is a frequent event whose causes may not be anticipated, but often has a cardiac origin. Sudden cardiac death is the final consequence of many pathophysiological mechanisms which have caused acute or chronic arrhythmogenic disease. Single or multifactorial triggering factors may interact with the arrhythmogenic substrate to lead to lethal arrhythmias. Stratifying populations accord...