A new study by UCSF’s Cardiac Electrophysiology Service seeks to discover for the first time the true causes of sudden cardiac death (SCD), why it is more prevalent in some demographic populations, and whether it is too often inaccurately cited as a cause of death.

Elena Portacalone, a UCSF PhD candidate in Medical Sociology, has dedicated hours to interviewing elderly residents as part of her ethnographic fieldwork to learn more about the living conditions and quality of life this often neglected – but growing – segment of society.