Muerte súbita cardiaca de origen arrítmico: valor del análisis genético post mortem

Sudden unexplained death refers to sudden deaths that remain without a conclusive cause of death after a complete autopsy has been performed. These cases are classified as deaths of arrhythmic origin, without any alterations in cardiac structure. In recent years, biomedical advances have allowed progressive interaction between genetic research and the forensic field to perform post-mortem genetic analyses, the so-called molecular autopsy. These studies reveal familial genetic alterations that cause heart diseases associated with arrhythmic events and sudden death. Recent post-mortem studies identify genetic alterations as the most probable cause of death in approximately 30% of cases. The results obtained after these analyses also allow for a translation into the clinical field to be made, focused on the early identification of relatives at risk of syncope, as well as the adoption of therapeutic measures for prevention and personalised treatment.