Haghighat et al reported causes of sudden death of homeless individuals in San Francisco.
Subject selection: homeless
The most common cause of death was occult overdose.
The remaining causes were classified as:
(1) probable cardiac arrhythmia
(3) cardiac nonarrhythmic
(3) noncardiac
Patients with resumed arrhythmia showed:
(1) coronary artery disease
(2) cardiomyopathy
(3) left ventricular hypertrophy
(4) primary conduction defect
(5) valvular disease
Noncardiac causes:
(1) infection
(2) gastrointestinal disease (not specified, presumably includes liver and pancreatic disorders)
(3) acute kidney failure
(4) diabetic ketoacidosis, hypoglycemia or hyperglycemic coma
(5) aspiration
(6) pulmonary embolism
(7) neurologic (stroke, seizures, etc)
(8) aortic dissection
Although not a risk in San Francisco, extremes in temperatures can be a hazard.
Sequelae of trauma was not listed, as well as suicide or homicide.
An autopsy can be helpful in identifying the cause since there are many possible explanations.
