**2.2 Mechanisms**

In the case of hereditary cardiomyopathies, such as DCM, SCD occurs due to the development of fatal ventricular arrhythmias: ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) are most common, but prolonged bradycardia does occur. Possible underlying mechanisms for the initiation of a fatal re-entry arrhythmia in a DCM patient may include: (a) conduction block caused by a reduction of myocytes and hypertrophy and (b) continuous re-entry regeneration due to increased fibrosis, interstitial, and perivascular as well as post-necrosis fibrosis [9, 10]. Non re-entry mechanisms, such as focal automaticity, electrolyte disturbances, and stretch-induced arrhythmias, also contribute to the presentation of arrhythmias [10]. In particular, focal automaticity predisposes a patient to nonsustained VT (NSVT) [11].
