Anthropometric and Autopsy Indicators Associated with Sudden Cardiac Death: A South Indian Autopsy Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/jfmt.2026.43.03.05Keywords:
Coronary artery disease, Body mass index, heart weight, Vessel diseaseAbstract
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and remains a major public health concern. Rapid urbanization, sedentary lifestyle, and the rising prevalence of metabolic disorders have significantly contributed to the increasing burden of CAD. Body mass index (BMI) is the most commonly used anthropometric parameter for assessing obesity and cardiovascular risk. Several epidemiological studies have shown a higher prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors with increasing BMI. However, angiographic studies have demonstrated inconsistent findings, with some studies failing to show an independent association between BMI and CAD severity, leading to the concept of the obesity paradox. Dietary habits and meal composition also influence CAD-related mortality. This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary care centre in Kottayam among adult population. Among the 135 cases studied, 62.22% cases died due to cardiovascular diseases. Majority of the study sample were in the normal BMI group (45.19%). No significant association was observed between coronary artery disease, BMI and age as there was significant increase of cases in younger population and normal BMI group ((18.5 – 22.9) and Over Weight (23 – 24.9) as per WHO Asian BMI Classification. Although BMI distribution was similar across age groups, the findings suggest that factors beyond BMI—such as lifestyle habits, stress, and dietary patterns—may play a more significant role in the development of CAD and cardiac hypertrophy. The presence of coronary artery disease in individuals with normal BMI and the predominance of single- and double-vessel disease in these groups suggest a shift from traditional BMI-based risk assessment.
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