20 something and invincible? I think not.

I have become more and more alarmed by the trend 20 something people seem to be living. The unstated feeling of invincibility is crazy and unfounded, yet we seem to have an outbreak of it. A pandemic, if you will.

Well, with probably too much glee, let me burst their, and perhaps your, bubble.

500 young people, defined as being 35 years old or less, die every year from something called Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome(SADS), or Sudden Adult Death Syndrome depending on who you ask. This is a syndrome thought to be related to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(SIDS), but in the 18-35 age group. SADS is a non-traumatic, non-violent, and often undiagnosed cause of death. Due to current law, many deaths caused by SADS are determined "natural causes" because the heart wasn't sent on from the coroner to a specialist for further investigation or simply because SADS has to do with the electric abnormalities that occur in heartbeats and are no longer present as a telltale sign after death. Duh.

What, you are begging to know, are the causes, signs, and everything else you need to know so you don't suddenly keel over, dead?

SADS is caused by cardiac arrhythmia. A-say what, you ask? Cardiac arrhythmia is when your heartbeat is funky. It cha-chas or waltzes instead of foxtrots. CA's, let's shorten that up as it is a lot to type, are caused by heart disease, coronary artery disease, valve disorders, and congenital heart defects. There are a few genetic disorders that cause CA's as well. The main genetic disorders are Long QT Syndrome, Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, and Brugada Syndrome. These all are present at birth and affect the heartbeat.

So, now you know what causes SADS, but how do you recognize it? Sometimes the symptoms of SADS is...nothing. That's right. You just die. Lucky ones will get syncope(fainting spells), blackouts, dizziness, shortness or breath, or chest pain. These symptoms typically occur during times of physical exertion or emotional upset. These should serve as a huge warning sign that something is NOT right. The twinge in your chest from hiking that Ikea desk up your 5th floor walk-up is not normal. You are not 80, you are 20-something.

Diagnosing a heart problem can be the first step to preventing SADS. As I said earlier, a lot of the causes of arrhythmias are genetic. These are present at birth, caused by autosomal dominant or recessive genes. Sometimes arrhythmias can be caused by medication, so it is a good idea to tell your doctor if you experience any of the symptoms I listed, even if they have never happened before and you have been on the same medication for years. To diagnose these heart problems is fairly simple and painless. You can have an electrocardiogram(ECG) or an echo cardiogram(ECHO), which will help define what exactly is wrong with your heart, where, and in what patterns.

Once a heart problem is diagnosed, 90% of the disorders can be treated by use of beta blockers. Yes, I said treated, not cured. Sometimes surgery can help.

Aside from SADS, some 700,000 young people suffer from some sort of arrhythmia, ranging from mild to severe. Some know, some don't.

To break it down for you, 1 person from 18-35 dies every week from SADS. It hits them and they are gone, leaving family and a whole life ahead of them behind, without warning.

So, don your cape and mask, hit Macy's during the holidays like there's no tomorrow. When you feel faint and your chest hurts after you walk the 12 blocks home with bags in hand, just remember it probably isn't from your triple espresso cafe au lait mocha calorie-laden-accino. Call your doctor.



Other reads:
BBC Health
SADS UK
C.R.Y.