FOI ref: FOI/2023/4848
You asked
Please supply the number of deaths which have been recorded as sudden deaths during 2020, 2021 and 2022.
We said
Thank you for your request.
All of the conditions mentioned on the death certificate are coded using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). From all these causes, an underlying cause of death is selected using ICD-10 coding rules. The underlying cause of death is defined by World Health Organisation (WHO) as:
- the disease or injury that initiated the train of events directly leading to death, or
- the circumstances of the accident or violence that produced the fatal injury
The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition (ICD-10) definitions for deaths associated with Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) are as follows:
- I46.1 (sudden cardiac death);
- I49.9 (Cardiac arrhythmia, unspecified);
- R96 (Other sudden death Cause Unknown).
The definition used here includes only deaths of people aged 16 years and over.
The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition (ICD-10) code for deaths associated with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is R95.
The definition used here includes only deaths of people aged 15 years and younger.
Please see the following user requested dataset, which shows deaths due to and involving Sudden Adult Death and Sudden Infant Death: Deaths "involving" or "due to" Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.
We use the term 'due to' for the underlying cause of death and 'involving' when the cause of death is a contributory mention.
Please note, 2022 data is based on provisional data and is subject to change.
For further information please contact Health.Data@ons.gov.uk.