MedPark raises awareness of sudden death to help understand risks originated from the heart, brain, and sleep
In the current fast-paced lifestyle, fatigue, palpitations, or brief fainting spells are often dismissed as minor, non-consequential incidents. In fact, these symptoms may foreshadow sudden death, a silent threat that can occur without clear warning and claims millions of lives worldwide each year, as claimed by MedPark.
To raise awareness and share accurate health knowledge with the public, MedPark Hospital hosted a press conference, Keeping pace with Sudden Death: Understanding Risks Originating from Multiple Systems, featuring an in-depth panel discussion with specialists across three key disciplines: Cardiovascular Medicine, Neurology, and Sleep Medicine.
The panel shared crucial insights into the causes, risk factors, and preventive strategies to forestall a tragedy. The event took place at The Forum, M Floor, MedPark Hospital.
Dr Pongpat Patanavanich, Managing Director of MedPark Hospital, shared the objective of the event.
“MedPark Hospital aims to raise public awareness on the importance of preventive healthcare. We want everyone to understand that sudden death is not always deterministic and preordained. It is a risk that is discoverable and significantly mitigated through specialised screenings, which can uncover hidden risks to develop effective, proactive plans.”
Sudden death: A silent threat that can take a loved one’s life within minutes
Dr Sureerat Panyarachun, a cardiologist, provided an overview.
“Sudden Death is a rapid, unexpected death, typically occurring within minutes to no more than an hour after the onset of symptoms. The primary cause is usually sudden cardiac arrest, which acutely stops blood flow to the brain and other vital organs.”
It is often mistakenly thought to strike without warning. In fact, overlooked prodromal symptoms may have included palpitations, easy fatiguability, chest tightness, or brief fainting. Many individuals fail to undergo the in-depth diagnostic screenings necessary to identify the true underlying cause.
Understanding the risks related to the bodily vital systems: The heart, brain, and sleep
Specialists from three key disciplines at MedPark Hospital emphasise that sudden death does not originate from the heart only. Instead, abnormalities of the brain or sleep disorders can all significantly increase the risk of a sudden fatal event.
Dr Piyanart Preeyanont, a cardiologist, noted…
“Approximately 80 to 90% of sudden death cases are heart-related. In many instances, pre-existing heart conditions show no clear symptoms, particularly in younger individuals or professional athletes. In addition, we are seeing a rising trend among working-age adults with chronic stress. Persistent stress can trigger cardiac arrhythmias, and for those with underlying heart conditions, this substantially elevates the risk of sudden death compared to the general population.”
Meanwhile, the brain acts as the central command centre of the body and has a direct impact on heart health, especially during a stroke, which can lead to cardiac arrest in a short time.
Capt. Udom Suthiponpaisan, RTN, MD, a specialist in Neurology, Stroke, and Interventional Neuroradiology, explained: “A severe intracranial haemorrhage can disrupt the autonomic nervous system, leading to acute cardiac arrest in just a few minutes.”
Sleep apnea is another contributing factor that many overlook; it lowers oxygen levels in the blood, throws the body out of balance, and heightens the chance of developing an irregular heartbeat.
Asst. Prof. Dr Jirayos Chintanadilok, a specialist in Sleep and Pulmonary Medicine, pointed out: “Sleep apnea forces the heart to work significantly harder and can trigger severe cardiac arrhythmias during sleep, especially in individuals with pre-existing heart rhythm disorders.”
Turning invisible risks into effective prevention
Cardiologist Dr Sureerat Panyarachun discussed minimising the risk and prevention of sudden loss:
“Sudden death is not as unpredictable as it may seem; it is detectable with advanced targeted diagnostic screenings, which can reduce sudden death risks by 40 to 60% for the general public and 60–80% for high-risk individuals.”
The targeted prevention approach is an in-depth screening process that provides a comprehensive risk assessment across multiple systems, including the cardiovascular, neurological, sleep-related, and genetic risk factors, which can reveal hidden abnormalities down to the gene level.
Because recognising the warning signs is not just about being aware of an illness; it is about empowering yourself with a proactive care plan and turning the unexpected into manageable risks.
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