Sudden death associated with alcohol misuse (SUDAM) can have many causes. A careful history, scene investigation and autopsy may be able to identify a cause.
Conditions in the differential diagnosis of SUDAM:
(1) ketoacidosis
(2) epilepsy (SUDEP)
(3) cardiomyopathy
(4) cardiac arrhythmia
(5) acute alcohol poisoning
(6) alcohol mixed with other drug of abuse
(7) occult head trauma (intracranial hemorrhage, postconcussive apnea)
(8) beri-beri
(9) suicide
(10) acute withdrawal
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