Systemic Analysis of Sudden Natural Deaths at Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Background: Many cases of sudden unexpected natural deaths occur in individuals without known medical diseases. Relatives of such victims and the law enforcement agents often designate those as sudden and unnatural deaths (SUD), and call for coroners inquests. Aims: To analyze the anatomic causes of sudden natural deaths investigated by the Coroner at Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH), and to classify them according to body systems and compare our findings with those of previous studies. Materials and methods: This is a nine-year retrospective study carried out in BMSH Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The reports of unlimited and standardized autopsies carried out on sudden and natural death victims were retrieved and analyzed. The causes of death were grouped according to the body systems involved. The cases were also analyzed according to age, sex, and circumstances of death. Results: Of the 9,164 bodies received, 2,415 (26.4%) were autopsied for varied reasons, out of which 249 (2.7%) were sudden natural deaths in persons without known significant medical history. Male: female ratio (MFR) was 2.2:1. The mean age was 39.7 years with a range of 3 weeks to 97 years. Peak age group was 30-39 years with 27.7%. Cardiovascular system pathologies were by far the commonest causes of death with 87.6%. The least cause of death was prematurity with 0.4%. Among the cardiovascular system pathologies, hypertensive heart disease was the commonest. All deathswere from natural causes. Conclusion: Cardiovascular system pathologies especially hypertensive heart disease remain the leading cause of sudden natural deaths in this study. Residents of Rivers state of Nigeria should be more conscious of their health and undergo regular medical check-ups for early detection and proper management of cardiovascular diseases especially systemic hypertension. Key Words: Sudden natural deaths, autopsy, coroner, hypertension, Port Harcourt.