Oregon Health & Science University

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ore-SUDS?

Ore-SUDS stands for the Sudden Unexplained Death Study. It is a research study conducted jointly by Oregon Health & Science University and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC), focusing on Oregon residents that die unexpectedly for unknown reasons. Sudden death is generally defined as a death that occurs within one hour of the patient having symptoms, such as chest pain or difficult breathing. In the majority of people, this condition occurs due to an abnormality of the heart rhythm, known as arrhythmia.

What is arrhythmia?

The heart is a muscular pump run by electrical impulses that originate within the heart. Normally, these impulses are regular and occur at a rate of 60-100 beats per minute. An arrhythmia occurs when the electrical system becomes disrupted or diseased, and the heart starts beating either too fast or too slow. In severe arrhythmias, the heart may not be able to pump adequate blood to the body, which can result in sudden death.

Why conduct such a study?

In the United States 180,000-400,000 people die annually from sudden death. Of these, up to 15 percent of deaths remain unexplained, despite current advancement in medical knowledge. The purpose of this study is to identify the cause of these unexplained sudden deaths. By participating in this study, subjects may help their family members as well as other families that may be affected by heart disease. This information will be especially helpful in determining whether there are novel factors that may predispose people to sudden death. It may also provide information about the risk of future development of sudden death in a subject's family or future offspring.

What will be asked of the participants?

Informed consent will be requested to obtain a small sample of blood or tissue from the deceased subject or survivor. Family members or survivors will also be asked to fill out a questionnaire regarding family health history.

Who is funding this research study?

The US CDC has recognized that the lack of data regarding the cause of sudden death in a significant proportion of Americans warrants a need for this type of study. They have awarded OHSU and Sumeet Chugh, M.D. a grant to conduct this research study. In addition, this effort has been funded by the American Heart Association and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.