Sudden unexpected death due to atherosclerotic coronary artery aneurysm.

The case of a 34-year-old white male who died suddenly and unexpectedly of a thrombosed coronary artery aneurysm is presented. Coronary artery aneurysms have a prevalence of approximately 2%; over half of these are caused by atherosclerosis with the remainder due to syphilis, infections, trauma, congenital malformations, vasculitis, neoplasms, and connective tissue disorders (Ehlers-Danlos and Marfan's syndromes). Replacement of the media by atherosclerotic debris is the cause of atherosclerotic aneurysms. Complications include rupture and thrombosis. Sudden death has been reported in eight other cases of atherosclerotic aneurysms; sudden unexpected death as the presenting symptom of atherosclerotic coronary artery aneurysm, as in our case, is rare.