SADS - Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome, Sudden Adult Death Syndrome

CRY is a national SADS charity which offers support and information to families who have suffered a loss to SADS

CRY also has a special SADS website

What is SADS?

In a medical context the term SADS is most often used in reference to Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome. However in recent times the phrase Sudden Adult Death Syndrome or SADS has been adopted by the media for referring to the more general notion of a sudden death of an apparently fit and healthy young person. To avoid confusion it is important to understand all definitions of SADS when discussing different conditions or syndromes.

The use of the word 'adult' enables the distinction between different forms of Sudden Death Syndrome, making the distinction between Sudden Infant Death Syndrome - SIDS and Sudden Adult Death Syndrome - SADS.

Sudden Adult Death Syndrome events are defined as non-traumatic, non-violent, unexpected occurrences resulting from cardiac arrest within as little as six hours of previously witnessed normal health.

What term to use and when?
A more general terminology is Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) and Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD).

Definitions of SADS
Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome
Sudden Adult Death Syndrome
Sudden Antenatal Death Syndrome
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Small Accelerator for Death Signaling - a new identified protein in the treatment of cancer.

There are a number of further definitions of SADS, however, these are outside of medicine.

Other terms
Sudden Death Syndrome - SDS - this is an umbrella term used for a number of conditions that can lead to a sudden death.
Sudden Unidentified Death Syndrome - SUDS - this is the term often used by Pathologists when no cause of death can be identified
Sudden Cardiac Death - SCD - this is the preferred definitions when discussing young sudden cardiac death.