ABSTRACT
Most cases of sudden death are a consequence of atherosclerotic heart disease and only occasionally the con sequence of some recognizable malformation or infection. Even so, the etiology of sudden death goes undetermined 5% to 10% of the time. Many common diseases result from either genetic modification leading to increased disease susceptibility (such as the channelopathies) or unsuspected viral infection (such as myocarditis). This chapter contains an overview of the genetic disorders that forensic pathologists are likely to encounter in their daily practice and an equally brief review of what actual resources are available that would allow the diagnosis of these disorders.
