Sexual activity (SA), combined with organic heart disease, may cause sudden death (SD). However, the causes of SD related to SA are not known well. The aim of this study was to assess the causes of SD related to SA. From August 2001 to November 2005, all autopsies (n=1,379) performed at Kyungpook National University were prospectively searched for SD cases related to SA. Fourteen cases (46+/-11 yr old, 9 males) of SD related to SA were found. All were heterosexual. The toxicologic study was negative in all. Ten cases were witnessed; during SA in 4 cases, just after SA in another 4 cases, 2 and 5 hr after in 1 each case. In 4 unwitnessed cases the victims were found dead less than 12 hr from the end of their SA. The partners were steady extramarital partners (n=8), prostitutes (n=2), marital partner (n=1) and unknown (n=3). The causes of the SD were as follows; coronary artery disease in 6, subarachnoid hemorrhage with ruptured berry aneurysm in 4, fibromuscular dysplasia of the atrioventricular nodal artery in 2, and unknown in 2. Coronary artery disease and subarachnoid hemorrhage with ruptured berry aneurysm were important as causes of SD related to SA.
Sexual Behavior/*statistics & numerical data ; Risk Assessment/*methods ; Prevalence ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Korea/epidemiology ; Humans ; Heart Diseases/*mortality ; Female ; Death, Sudden/*epidemiology ; Comorbidity ; Cause of Death ; Autopsy ; Adult

Sexual activity (SA), combined with organic heart disease, may cause sudden death (SD). However, the causes of SD related to SA are not known well. The aim of this study was to assess the causes of SD related to SA. From August 2001 to November 2005, all autopsies (n=1,379) performed at Kyungpook National University were prospectively searched for SD cases related to SA. Fourteen cases (46+/-11 yr old, 9 males) of SD related to SA were found. All were heterosexual. The toxicologic study was negative in all. Ten cases were witnessed; during SA in 4 cases, just after SA in another 4 cases, 2 and 5 hr after in 1 each case. In 4 unwitnessed cases the victims were found dead less than 12 hr from the end of their SA. The partners were steady extramarital partners (n=8), prostitutes (n=2), marital partner (n=1) and unknown (n=3). The causes of the SD were as follows; coronary artery disease in 6, subarachnoid hemorrhage with ruptured berry aneurysm in 4, fibromuscular dysplasia of the atrioventricular nodal artery in 2, and unknown in 2. Coronary artery disease and subarachnoid hemorrhage with ruptured berry aneurysm were important as causes of SD related to SA.
Sexual Behavior/*statistics & numerical data ; Risk Assessment/*methods ; Prevalence ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Korea/epidemiology ; Humans ; Heart Diseases/*mortality ; Female ; Death, Sudden/*epidemiology ; Comorbidity ; Cause of Death ; Autopsy ; Adult

A 65-year-old woman visited our hospital with a complaint of acute onset dyspnea and radiological manifestations of pulmonary thromboembolism. The patient underwent an exploratory surgery to find a whitish-blue colored mass occupying almost the whole lumen of the main pulmonary arteries. Based on the pathological and radiological findings, the patient was diagnosed to have a pulmonary arterial intramural hematoma. Intramural hematomas are usually observed in the walls of the aorta, and we believe that an isolated intramural hematoma in the pulmonary artery has not been described previously.
Aged ; Contrast Media/diagnostic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Hematoma/*diagnosis/*surgery ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; *Pulmonary Artery ; Thromboembolism/diagnosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed