Causes of cardiac death in young people could vary. Most of the time it could be due to abnormal heart conditions. Ventricular fibrillation is a condition where the heartbeat goes out of control for some reason. Other few specific causes of sudden cardiac death in young people include:

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM): In a genetically inherited condition, walls of the heart muscle thicken. It could disrupt heart’s electrical system, makes it difficult for heart to pump blood causing irregular heartbeat or arrhythmias leading to cardiac arrest. It is one of the most common reasons for sudden death in young athletes and death of young people who are under 30.

Coronary artery abnormalities: Coronary arteries abnormalities could lead to compression during exercise and interfere in blood flow causing heart attack.

Long QT syndrome: Inherited fast and abnormal heartbeats that cause fainting and sudden death. QT refers to the portion of the tracing on an electrocardiogram (EKG) that reflects the change in heartbeat/rhythm.

Structural abnormalities of heart: Having a congenital heart disease that is undetected and heart muscle abnormalities are also reasons for sudden death.

Other causes : Viruses can cause inflammation in heart muscles or inflammation could happen due to other illnesses such as Brugada syndrome which is caused by genetic disorder that can cause a dangerous irregular heartbeat in the lower chambers or ventricles) and beat fast and irregularly leaving irregular blood flow to heart followed by death.

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