Overview
- Across 2,214 autopsies at AIIMS New Delhi (May 2023–April 2024), 180 met sudden-death criteria, with 57.2% occurring in ages 18–45 and a mean age of 33.6 years with strong male predominance.
- Cardiac causes led sudden deaths in the young at 42.6%, with heart attacks comprising about 85% of heart-related cases; respiratory causes accounted for 21.3%, and another 21.3% were unexplained.
- The study found no statistically significant association between prior Covid infection or vaccination and sudden deaths in young adults, with 82.8% vaccinated and only one myocarditis case identified.
- Patterns differed in older adults (46–65), where coronary artery disease accounted for about 72.1% of sudden deaths and respiratory causes were far less common.
- Most deaths occurred at home or during travel, often at night or early morning, sudden loss of consciousness was the most reported symptom, and smoking and alcohol use were common among decedents.