Sudden death generally refers to the situation where there are no warning signs and death occurs within an hour. The main cause of most sudden deaths is arrhythmias.
Arrhythmias can be divided into two types: sudden cessation of heartbeats causing conduction blockage, accounting for 15% of all sudden death cases; and ventricular fibrillation, which is cardiac electrical disorder. Irregular heartbeats can cause a person to lose consciousness within a few seconds, accounting for 85% of cases.
In general, there are three main causes of sudden death: coronary heart disease and angina causing sudden death, which often present symptoms of chest pain and chest tightness and are more common in middle-aged and elderly people; viral myocarditis leading to sudden death; and congenital genetic diseases causing sudden death. Most cases of sudden death in middle-aged individuals belong to the second category, mainly due to viral infection of the myocardium, causing symptoms similar to a cold such as headache and weakness, which are often overlooked.
Therefore, middle-aged men should not underestimate the appearance of symptoms. If there are symptoms such as headache, weakness, or fever, it is important to promptly seek medical attention.
Among the direct causes of sudden death, coronary artery disease, aortic aneurysm, heart valve disease, cardiomyopathy, and cerebral hemorrhage are ranked in the top five. Similar to general sudden death cases, the hidden nature of these diseases often deceives individuals who are overworked, resulting in tragic consequences. It is evident that excessive fatigue is also an important factor.
Furthermore, excessive physiological stress and work pressure are also culprits of sudden death. Under long-term mental stress, the probability of various diseases increases by 3-5 times. A weakened immune system, which is equivalent to insufficient internal defense, can lead to conditions ranging from colds to cancer.
In order to minimize the occurrence of sudden death and achieve timely self-rescue, middle-aged individuals should pay attention to sudden symptoms such as fatigue and difficulty breathing, and take them seriously for themselves and their families.
After sudden death occurs, if an individual does not receive effective treatment within 2-4 minutes, irreversible brain damage will occur, and death will occur after 8 minutes.
For sudden death that occurs in healthy adults, especially sudden cardiac death without underlying heart disease, if treated in a timely manner, some patients can survive. If sudden ventricular fibrillation occurs in the early stage of acute myocardial infarction, timely electrical defibrillation can lead to a success rate of 70-100% for resuscitation.
Therefore, it is crucial to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as soon as possible in the event of sudden death. Promptly establishing effective respiration and circulation is the most important step for successful resuscitation.
In addition, in daily life, when someone suddenly loses consciousness and falls to the ground, they should be immediately placed in a supine position, tapping their cheeks and calling out loudly. At the same time, touch their neck to check for a pulse. If there is no response and no pulse, CPR should be performed immediately.
First, tilt their head back to open the airway, and then perform effective chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration. These basic lifesaving measures should continue until professional emergency personnel arrive. While performing basic CPR, it is important to call for emergency medical assistance as soon as possible to take further treatment measures.
