SADS Conditions – SADS Foundation

Because SADS condition are passed down from parent to child, each child of an affected parent has a 50% chance of inheriting the condition. It is estimated that over half of the 4,000 SADS deaths each year of children, teens, or young adults have one of the top two warning signs: 1) family history – of a SADS diagnosis or sudden unexplained death (usually undiagnosed and untreated) of a family member, or 2) fainting.

SADS conditions occur because the electrical system of the heart is not working properly, so that the heart beats with an abnormal rhythm.