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ORLANDO -- Patients who experienced sudden cardiac death had a significantly higher rate of treatment with a sodium-channel blocking, anticonvulsant drug, compared with people who did not have sudden death, [...]

ORLANDO -- A 40-year-old man faces a 1-in-8 lifetime risk of sudden cardiac death, according to a Framingham Heart Study analysis. To place that risk in context, it's useful to [...]

Level 2: Mid-level evidence Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are frequently advised for patients with heart failure (HF) who are at increased risk for sudden cardiac death. However, a new systematic review [...]

WASHINGTON -- A recent study conducted by researchers in the United States indicates a potential link between the use of stimulant drugs for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sudden cardiac death [...]

ORLANDO -- Diclofenac, celecoxib, and rofecoxib are associated with dose-dependent increased risks of sudden cardiac arrest, according to a large national Danish study. No increased risk was noted in conjunction [...]

ADVANCED KIDNEY dysfunction independently predicts sudden cardiac death among women with coronary heart disease (CHD). Rajat Deo, MD, of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, and colleagues analyzed data from The [...]

SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Individuals with obstructive sleep apnea exhibit a striking alteration in the typical day-night pattern of sudden cardiac death, underscoring the disorder's potency as a risk factor for [...]

A recent study demonstrated that exposure to carbon monoxide gas increases the occurrence of abnormal heart rhythms in patients with coronary artery disease. Previous studies showed that high levels of carbon monoxide exposure can cause myocardial ischemia, or insufficient blood supply to the heart, and impair heart function. New evidence indicates that even low level exposure to carbon monoxide results in increased levels of carboxyhemoglobin, a product of the interaction of carbon monoxide and hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying pigment of the blood. Similar elevated levels of carboxyhemoglobin are detected in persons who reside in cities or work in high-risk occupations, such as tunnel workers. Adverse effects of carbon monoxide include: decreased oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood; impaired tissue delivery of oxygen and various oxygen-dependent cell processes; enhanced accumulation of blood clotting cells called platelets; increased frequency of abnormal heart rhythms and atherogenesis, the fatty generation and thickening of blood vessels. Because carbon monoxide can worsen myocardial ischemia in patients with coronary artery disease, the level of exposure to carbon monoxide should be considered in the management of such patients. The increased frequency of abnormal heart rhythms and myocardial ischemia, caused by carbon monoxide exposure, may worsen the risk of sudden cardiac death. Studies indicate that individuals who are frequently exposed to high levels of carbon monoxide have higher rates of heart-related deaths than the general population. The interaction between carbon monoxide and other factors that increase the risk of sudden death requires further investigation. In addition, scientific evidence concerning the adverse health effects of common pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, must be considered in the formulation of environmental regulations. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

DENVER -- Methadone in therapeutic doses appears to be associated with increased risk of sudden cardiac death, Dr. Carmen Socoteanu reported at the annual meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society. [...]

A study conducted at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston found that the risk of cardiac arrest in women is only slightly higher during times of extreme exertion than it [...]

ATLANTA -- Automated external defibrillators can be lifesavers in sudden cardiac arrest, the No. 1 cause of death in young athletes, but planning, preparation, and education are essential. 'The single [...]

Atlanta -- The resuscitation rate in athletes who experience sudden cardiac arrest as a result of ventricular fibrillation during sports events may be much better than widely assumed, Dr. Christine [...]

It's like the realtors always say: location, location, location. An elderly man attending a fund-raiser for the American Heart Association under way in Santa Barbara, Calif., chose the exactly ideal [...]

PURPOSE: Induced hypothermia improves outcome after cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation. We studied induced hypothermia in a community hospital setting after cardiac arrest due to any cause. METHODS: A [...]

SAN FRANCISCO -- Plaques in the carotid arteries were associated with an increased risk of death due to cardiovascular disease in a prospective 10-year study of 2,651 people chosen randomly [...]

ORLANDO -- When prescribing stimulants for children, play it safe and screen for heart conditions, said Howard Schubiner, M.D., at a meeting sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Although [...]

The lifesaving Keep the Beat tour sponsored by Neighborhood Heart Watch and AED manufacturer Medtronic is making its way across the country, educating thousands of fans of the legendary singer-songwriter [...]

NEW ORLEANS -- The incidence of sudden cardiac death is markedly greater in low-income neighborhoods, according to new data from the Oregon Sudden Unexplained Death Study. Socioeconomic status is known [...]

NEW ORLEANS -- A little bit of exercise can be a dangerous thing for a woman. New data from the Nurses' Health Study show the risk of exercise-triggered sudden cardiac [...]

[YES] Much like a fire extinguisher, an automated external defibrillator belongs in every physician's office in America. While it may be used more frequently in a cardiologist's office than in [...]

NEW ORLEANS -- Tweaking emergency dispatcher assessment protocols to incorporate a few simple questions regarding agonal breathing markedly increases the rate of cardiac arrest detection over the phone, Ahamed H. [...]

SAN FRANCISCO -- The timing of chest compressions in CPR can mean life or death to some patients in cardiac arrest, Lance B. Becker, M.D., said at the annual meeting [...]

Three states--New York, Rhode Island and Louisiana--have recently passed legislation in recognition of the life-saving potential AEDs offer against sudden cardiac arrest, specifically mandating the deployment of AEDs in various [...]

Almost a third of heart failure patients face an increased risk of death because they do not receive an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, according to a recent report. ACE inhibitors--on [...]

MUNICH -- Echocardiographically measured left atrial diameter is an independent predictor of long-term cardiovascular mortality risk in a general population of middle-aged men, Dr. Jauri A. Laukkanen reported at the [...]

MUNICH -- Urban air pollution from auto exhaust increases the risk of cardiac events in persons who've had a prior myocardial infarction, Stephanie Von Klot reported at the annual congress [...]

Synopsis: Erythromycin use is associated with a 2-fold increased risk of sudden cardiac death and a 5-fold increase in those who concurrently receive other medications that significantly inhibit its metabolism [...]

SAN FRANCISCO -- People who have clinical depression have a more than 50% greater risk of experiencing sudden cardiac death than those who are not depressed, according to a study [...]

The 1996 practice guideline for perioperative cardiac risk management recommends clinical predictors, functional capacity and surgery-specific risk. Advances in perioperative prophylactic medical therapies with the strongest evidence indicating that Beta-blockers reduce perioperative ischemia and infraction and death in high-risk patients is summarized by the guidelines.

US electrophysiologists plan to create a new foundation that would be devoted to focus public awareness on the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). They believe that there is need for such foundation, as only about 15 percent of the patients at risk of experiencing a life-threatening arrhythmia have received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD).

Safety measures meant to reduce an athlete's risk of sudden death from a blow to the chest could actually raise that risk. This form of sudden death, known as commotio [...]

The number 4 evokes dread among many Chinese and Japanese people. The reason: In the Mandarin, Cantonese, and Japanese tongues, the words for 'four' and 'death' are pronounced almost identically. [...]

Patients taking more than 100 mg thioridazine have a 2.4-fold greater rate of sudden cardiac death, said Wayne A. Ray, Ph.D., of Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn., the Nashville Veterans Affairs [...]

Background: Because the risks of sudden cardiac death and myocardial infarction are transiently increased during acute bouts of high-intensity activity, it is an important question from the public health perspective whether regular participation in moderate-intensity activity confers overall protection from sudden cardiac death. Participants and Methods: We used data from a population-based case-control study to assess the associations of regular high-intensity and moderate-intensity leisure-time physical activity with primary cardiac arrest. Cases were patients with primary cardiac arrest, aged 25 to 74 years, attended by paramedics between 1988 and 1994 in King County, Washington (n = 333). Controls were randomly identified from the same community (n = 503), matched for age and sex. All case patients and controls were free of prior clinical heart disease, major comorbidity, and self-reported poor health. Spouses of case patients and controls were interviewed to assess participation in 15 high-intensity and 6 moderate intensity physical activities during the prior year. Results: Compared with subjects who performed none of the activities, the odds ratio for primary cardiac arrest from matched analyses was 0.34 (95% confidence interval, 0.13-0.89) among subjects who performed only gardening activities for more than 60 minutes per week; 0.27 (95% confidence interval, 0.11-0.67) among subjects who walked for exercise for more than 60 minutes per week; and 0.34 (95% confidence interval, 0.16-0.75) among subjects who engaged in any high-intensity activities, after adjustment for age, smoking, education, diabetes, hypertension, and health status. Conclusions: The results suggest that regular participation in moderate-intensity activities, such as walking and gardening, are associated with a reduced risk of PCA and support current exercise recommendations. Arch Intern Med. 1999;159:686-690