Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death in Western society. Approximately half of these deaths are sudden, and the majority are due to coronary artery disease. Identifying individuals at risk of sudden cardiac death remains a tremendous challenge. A significant common feature in individuals who die suddenly from coronary artery disease is an advanced cardiac muscle disease. Identifying and understanding the mechanism of these diseases could prevent a significant number of sudden cardiac deahts. Obesity is a significant problem in the society, and in preliminary studies we have detected fat inside the cardiac muscle which predisposes to sudden cardiac death and seems to be associated with obesity. This project investigates characteristics, genetics, and mechanism related to the accumulation of fat in the cardiac muscle using autopsy samples from sudden cardiac death subjects and computer tomography imaging from living patients with coronary artery disease.

2024

2028