Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) is an umbrella term used for the many different causes of cardiac arrest in young people. 

CRY provides medical information on the most common causes of unexpected sudden cardiac death sometimes referred to as SADS in the young (under 35)

In the UK unexplained sudden death is frequently recorded as due to death from natural causes. Until the law is changed and coroners have to refer hearts on to specialists we will not know the true figures.

Guidelines in the National Service Framework Chapter 8 on Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death say that when there is a young sudden cardiac death, all first degree relatives should be urgently assessed.

The Chapter also says that young people with cardiac conditions should receive age-specific treatment and support.

• Animated diagram of some heart rhythm disorders

• New SADS sudden arrhythmic death syndrome booklet by Dr Elijah Behr download now from www.sads.org.uk

Watch CRY Patron David Walliams have an ECG test

Used to detect hidden heart problems.

CRY provides information on the Diagnosis, Symptoms, Genetic implications, and Treatment for the following

• Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)

• Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC) 

• Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)  

• Restrictive Cardiomyopathy (RCM)

• Myocarditis

• Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

• Ion Channelopathies (Long QT, Brugada, Lev-Lenegre's....)

• Wolff (Wolfe) Parkinson White Syndrome (WPW)

• Coronary Artery Anomalies (CAAs)

• Marfan Syndrome

• Other Cardiac Conditions - Endocardial Fibroelastosis (EFE), Tachycardia, Antibiotic Prophylaxis, Churg-Strauss Syndrome, Right Bundle Branch Block (RBBB), Kawasaki Disease

 To download or print out a Word document 
covering all of these medical conditions and various 
articles click here.

For printable file downloads of CRY leaflets 
and posters click here

Launched September 2002 - Young people talk about their experiences of life-saving cardiac surgery

CRY's ICD & Cardiac Surgery Supporters Group