Rarely a person may die suddenly while playing a video game. Determination of the cause of death requires a careful investigation.
Many of the reported cases are from Southeast Asia and many occurred in internet cafes.
Risk factors:
(1) young male (less than 40 years old)
(2) playing for a day or more continuously
(3) competitive, multi-player game with need for mental concentration
Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a term for addictive behavior related to on-line video games, but not all video games require the internet.
The investigation should look for evidence of:
(1) an underlying comorbid condition (type 1 diabetes, seizures, cardiac, other)
(2) stimulant drug of abuse
(3) suicide
(4) pulmonary embolism
(5) intracerebral hemorrhage
(6) trauma from falling from chair
(7) dehydration
(8) ketoacidosis related to fasting
