Table 1

Patient profiles

Case No	Age (years)	Suspected cause	Time lag^1-150(days)
1	67	CC+CS	(13) 7
2	67	CC	8
3	65	CC+CS	(14) 5
4	72	T+CC	(33) 30
5	78	CC+CS	(15) 6
6	64	CC	5
7	79	CC	12
8	63	T+CC	(12) 8
9	65	CC	7
10	67	CC	8
11	70	CC	28
12	71	CC	6
13	72	CC+S	(15) 7
14	66	CC+CS	(15) 8
15	62	CC	4
16	66	T+CC+CS	(17) (17) 12
17	68	CC	8
18	71	CA	32
19	70	CC	7
20	83	CC	30
Mean (SD)	69.3 (5)		11.1 (9)^†

All patients were male except one. In all cases, at least one diagnostic or therapeutic investigation was found to have been performed in the days or weeks preceding the diagnosis.
↵1-150 When several potential causes are present, the time lag is the interval between the last causal event and the diagnosis, with the time lag between the preceding potential causal event and CE diagnosis shown in brackets. ^†Calculated considering the most recent potential cause.
T, thrombolysis; CC, cardiac catheterisation; CS, cardiac surgery; CA, carotid angiography.