An arrhythmia is an abnormality of the heart's rhythm, either caused by an inherited problem or by an acquired condition that disturbs the electrical impulses which regulate the heart. The heart may beat too slowly, too quickly or in an irregular way. The symptoms a person may experience include palpitations, loss of consciousness, dizziness and breathlessness. In extreme cases, certain types of arrhythmia can cause sudden cardiac death.

The substantial majority of the approximately 100,000 sudden cardiac deaths each year in the UK are caused by coronary heart disease, which is addressed in the National Service Framework (NSF). However, most sudden deaths in people under 30 years old are caused by inherited cardiomyopathies and arrhythmias. An estimated 400 sudden cardiac deaths each year are unexplained and the majority of these have a genetic basis.

The NSF for arrhythmia and sudden death (chapter 8) sets out a quality requirement and markers of good practice to support NHS services in identifying people who are at increased risk and assessing them and their families to reduce their chances of dying from an arrhythmic condition.

The first step in this process is to establish a national database that collates all cases of young sudden cardiac death victims would provide epidemiological data on the frequency of sudden cardiac death as well as important demographic and geographic information.

The U.K. Cardiac Pathology Network (UK-CPN) has developed a network of cardiac pathologists throughout England and Wales to provide local coroners with an expert cardiac pathology service, and the promotion of best pathological practice in sudden death cases. This expert referral service is provided by approximately 40 pathologists with an interest in cardiac pathology but the service is expanding. The audit aims to enrol all specialist cardiac pathologists in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.