Table 1

Principal intracranial causes of sudden death in adults (from the department of forensic medicine archives)

Cause of deathTotal no. of casesYears reviewedCases/year (approx.)
Epilepsy (SUDEP)1311991–622
Intracerebral haemorrhage151995–84
Spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage411995–810
Subdural haematoma241995–86
Extradural haematoma21995–8<1
Bacterial meningitis41995–81
Brain tumours11995–8<1