Sudden cardiac death less likely after exercise, study says

People whose hearts stop functioning during or shortly after exercising are three times more likely to survive than those who have cardiac arrest unrelated to working out, researchers said. The Amsterdam Resuscitation Study looked at 2,517 cardiac- arrest cases in the Dutch capital's greater metropolitan area over a three-year period. Scientists found 145 of the patients were exercising during or within one hour of cardiac arrest and were mostly biking, playing tennis, working out at a gym or swimming, according to the research presented today at the European Society of Cardiology conference in Munich

Sudden cardiac death: Time of day link found in mice

How the time of day can increase the risk of dying from an irregular heartbeat has been identified by researchers. The risk of "sudden cardiac death" peaks in the morning and rises again in the evening. A study published in the journal Nature suggests that levels of a protein which controls the heart's rhythm fluctuate through the day. A body clock expert said the study was "beautiful". The inner workings of the body go through a daily routine known as a circadian rhythm, which keeps the body in sync with its surroundings. Jet lag is the result of the body getting out of sync. As the chemistry of the body changes throughout the day, this can impact on health. US researchers say they have identified, in mice, how the time can affect the risk of sudden cardiac death, which kills 100,000 people a year in the UK

Video: a 'shocking' treatment for cardiac patients (USA)

"Sudden cardiac death is the most common way heart patients die. The great majority of the deaths occur from fatal heart rhythms. There's a new preventive treatment, and men seem to out number women getting the treatment. The treatment implants under the skin a small gadget that can shock the heart back to a normal rhythm, a defibrillator. A defibrillator can be a painful jolt if you're awake, but that alone doesn't explain the sex difference in patients getting the device..."

Heart problems are a silent killer of children (USA)

"Nearly 300 Michiganders younger than 40 die each year of sudden cardiac death, with African-American males dying at 2 1/2 times the rate of others. The Michigan Department of Community Health, which completed a study last year looking into the deaths, is now turning to parents and schools to help prevent others. Although sudden cardiac death is not limited to athletes, one of the department's efforts is aimed at high school athletes. Officials say some risks for cardiac arrest can be detected with more thorough screenings of athletes or a deeper examination of genetic history, said Debra Duquette, who directed the review for the health department"

Norwich Free Academy students win honors for video on sudden cardiac arrest awareness (USA)

"Norwich Free Academy juniors Josh Cingranelli and Michael Grant did not know Larry Pontbriant. But the two student video producers captured his spirit well enough to win national recognition from those dedicated to stopping the condition that took him three years ago at age 15. Grant of Norwich and Cingranelli of Lisbon were honored at NFA on Wednesday by the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation for a video they produced last fall on the importance of defibrillators and CPR in increasing the chances of survival for victims of sudden cardiac arrest. The condition killed Larry Pontbriant, a Norwich resident and athlete at NFA, while he was running in a fun run in 2007. His parents, Lawrence and Evelyn, have established the Larry Pontbriant Athletic Safety Fund, which provides heart defibrillators for youth sports venues in Southeastern Connecticut"

Researchers identify new heart condition (Sweden)

The discovery of a new heart condition may prevent more young people from becoming victims of cardiac arrest, a leading cause of death in the United States. According to the Heart Rhythm Foundation, sudden cardiac arrest - which happens when the body's blood-pumping organ abruptly stops working - claims about 325,000 lives every year in the United States. Researchers in Sweden have discovered a new disorder linked to cardiac arrest that almost took a young man's life. A genetic defect in the protein glycogenin can lead to an energy crisis in muscle cells and ultimately cause cardiac arrest. The protein's function is to initiate the build-up of glycogen that makes up muscle cells' carbohydrate reserves. When the genetic defect causes the protein to malfunction, the body - including the heart - experiences a shortage of glycogen. Scientists discovered the defect in a young patient who suffered sudden cardiac arrest in Sweden. Experts say the newly discovered condition should be considered as a diagnosis when investigating heart trouble, although there is currently no cure. Source: New England Journal of Medicine, April 19, 2010

Only a heartbeat away from a long, healthy life (Canada)

"Shawn and Shane Mamer don't worry anymore that they'll die if their hearts start skipping a beat. Because when it happens - and it will, says their cardiologist - a shock five to 12 seconds later will get their hearts beating properly again. The 31-year-old identical twins, dental students from Saskatoon who inherited a deadly heart condition, had defibrillators implanted in their chests last week at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Edmonton, Canada. It's one of the ways doctors are reducing the number of seemingly healthy and fit young men who suddenly drop dead, usually while playing an explosive competitive sport such as hockey or football. A lot of people black out before they get the jolt of electricity from an implanted defibrillator, the shock of which is very painful, says Dr. Evan Lockwood, 'but feeling a shock is a good thing because it's a sign you're still alive.' The incidence of all sudden cardiac deaths is estimated to range from one in 50,000 to one in 200,000 people. One of the most common reasons for these tragic deaths is an undiagnosed genetic heart condition"

Beat It!

The Beat It! campaign started with the support of the European Heart Rhythm Association to reduce the impact of sudden cardiac death. Beat It! aims to cut the incidence of sudden cardiac death by public education and the greater availability of portable electronic defibrillators able to diagnose and treat the potentially life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. The Beat It! campaign has already seen visible results in the congress's host city of Berlin, where portable defibrillators have been placed in shopping centres, theatres and metro stations - as part of a joint initiative of 'Lions Clubs International' and the 'European Heart Rhythm Association'. In support of the Beat It! campaign, Richard von Weizsäcker, past Mayor of Berlin and past President of the Federal Republic of Germany, will address the congress during the Sudden cardiac death and cardiac arrhythmias: Beat It! session on Monday 22 June from 14:00 to 15:30

CRY Philips TestMyHeart Tour 09 (UK)

"The CRY Philips Test My Heart Tour 09 is the first free tour of its kind in England and has been made possible by charity CRY, health and well-being company Philips, through the fund raising efforts of families whose lives have been affected by Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) or Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD), and the Gwyneth Forrester Trust. The tour aims to test over 3'000 14-35 year old's hearts to identify heart conditions which could potentially prove fatal if left untreated. Philips has donated state of the art ECG and ECHO imaging systems to equip the mobile screening unit on its tour across England. Health and wellness for the patient are at the heart of all Philips' medical technologies. Philips' Advanced Heart Monitoring equipment is designed around the needs of patients and healthcare providers to ensure that tests are as efficient and relaxing as possible. In partnership with CRY, Philips' goal is to help more families understand the simple steps that can be taken to try to reduce the number of SDS deaths"

Heart rate may help predict cardiac death

"Faster heart rates from mild mental stress before exercise doubles the risk of sudden cardiac death in later life, researchers in France warn. The study, published in the European Heart Journal, found that men whose heart rate increased the most during mild mental stress just before an exercise test had twice the risk of dying of a sudden heart attack in later life than men whose heart rate did not increase as much." - UPI

Methadone used in addiction treatment implicated in sudden cardiac deaths, study reports

"A 2008 study from the Oregon Health & Science University suggests that methadone taken at therapeutic levels may be involved in sudden cardiac deaths. What that means is that even if it is not being abused, when it is simply taken for chronic pain or for treatment of addiction to opiates such as heroin or morphine, methadone may be killing people. The OHSU study analyzed sudden cardiac deaths in the greater Portland, Oregon area to compare deaths in which therapeutic levels of methadone were found to similar deaths in which no methadone was found. In the methadone group, 77 percent had no significant coronary artery disease which led researchers to conclude that the methadone present had very likely contributed to these deaths. The researchers recommended that a larger evaluation of methadone therapy be done and suggested that more safeguards might be needed when the drug is prescribed." - TransWorldNews

Families unveil new postcard to highlight tragic heart condition (UK)

Families from the Liverpool area and across the North West are joining together to help launch a major regional campaign to highlight shocking new statistics that show the number of young people who lose their lives to the tragic condition sudden cardiac death now stands at 12 every week – a staggering 50% rise on previous estimates. The new figures are based on official statistics citing the cause of sudden death among people aged 35 and under

Heartbeat away from making medical history (Australia)

Marshall Hastings has a very rare genetic heart condition that causes his heart to beat abnormally fast, but what makes him extraordinary is that he still alive. The 10-year-old was pulled from the bottom of a swimming pool by lifeguards after he suddenly and inexplicably sank mid-race during a swimming carnival last October. A combination of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and a defibrillator - which the Botany Aquatic Centre, Australia, had recently installed but never used - saved Marshall from certain sudden cardiac death (SCD). - SMH

Hopkins scientists ID 10 genes associated with a risk factor for sudden cardiac death

One minute, he's a strapping 40-year-old with an enviable cholesterol level, working out on his treadmill. The next, he's dead. That an abnormality in his heart's electrical system had managed to stay on the Q.T. until it proved lethal is characteristic of sudden cardiac death, which annually claims more than a quarter million Americans. A dearth of discernable symptoms and lack of detectable molecules circulating in the blood makes the prediction of sudden cardiac death largely dependent on genetic risk factors. Having identified 10 common variants of genes that modify the timing of the contraction of the heart, known as the QT interval, scientists in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in collaboration with an international contingent of researchers, now provide new insight about the underpinnings of the QT interval which, when prolonged or shortened, predisposes to sudden cardiac death. QT interval, which is determined from a standard electrocardiogram (ECG), reflects the time it takes for the heart (ventricles) to contract and then reset for the next heartbeat. Publishing March 22 in Nature Genetics, the international team including researchers from the Technical University in Munich, Johns Hopkins and others, used DNA samples previously collected for epidemiological studies to analyze the genomes of 15,842 individuals whose QT intervals had been measured by electrocardiogram. With DNA microarray chips, each able to assess hundreds of thousands of markers in each sample, followed by bioinformatic techniques to increase the number of markers, the researchers screened approximately 2.5 million markers to detect subtle alterations in the sequences of these genomes that modify the QT interval. - GEN

Research links depression to cardiac death in women without known heart disease

New data published in the March 17, 2009, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggest that relatively healthy women with severe depression are at increased risk of cardiac events, including sudden cardiac death (SCD) and fatal coronary heart disease (CHD). Researchers found that much of the relationship between depressive symptoms and cardiac events was mediated by cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking - GEN

Sudden cardiac death rare in young athletes

"The rate of young athletes in the United States dying of sudden cardiac failure is relatively rare, on par with the same age group being involved in a lightning-related death, researchers say. According to a study published in the journal Circulation, 1,866 U.A. athletes, ages 8 to 39, died suddenly or survived cardiac arrest from 1980 to 2006. Cardiovascular disease killed more than half those athletes, with one in three being linked to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition that results in an enlarged heart that can often be detected by a routine electrocardiogram (ECG)" - HealthDay

Year to recover from heat, warns expert (Australia)

"A health expert has warned it may take up to a year for some people to recover from the effects of South Australia's current heatwave. Hundreds of South Australians have needed hospital treatment since the extreme weather began last week and there has been an increase in sudden deaths. Professor Paddy Phillips from SA Health says authorities here are learning from heatwaves overseas. "The health impacts from France from a number of years ago, they showed there were higher numbers of cardiac problems in the community for up to a year after the heatwave and that's an ongoing impact," he said." - ABC News

Defective gene causes sudden cardiac death

"A defective gene causes sudden cardiac death in many young people, says a new study. Researchers at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University have found that in at least ten per cent of cases in Europe, sudden cardiac death in young people is due to a cardiac gene defect, the 'Deutsches Arzteblatt International' journal reported. Sudden cardiac death is defined as unexpected death occurring rapidly - usually within one hour of the onset of symptoms - in persons previously seemed to be healthy" - Zeenews

Sudden cardiac death found to be a major killer of dialysis patients

Sudden cardiac death is the leading cardiovascular cause of death for dialysis patients, researchers reported in Kidney International. The prospective 10-year study, led by Rulan S. Parekh, MD, associate professor in the department of nephrology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, based the findings on a study of 1,041 dialysis patients, of whom 658 died. Over a median 2.5 years of follow-up, 146 patients (22%) suffered SCD. Patients with the highest levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein or interleukin-6 - markers of systemic inflammation - were twice as likely to die from SCD as those with the lowest levels. Dr. Parekh's group also looked at the effect of low albumin levels - a marker of malnutrition - and found that patients with the lowest albumin levels were 35% more likely to die from SCD compared with those who had the highest levels. 'This is believed to be the first time anyone has taken a rigorous prospective look at why so many patients on dialysis die from sudden cardiac death. The results could help doctors identify those at highest risk and potentially save lives,' Dr. Parekh said. - Renal And Urology News

New program aims to train coaches for cardiac arrest

"School sports coaches and advisers across Minnesota would get more training in how to respond to students going into cardiac arrest, under a program being launched this weekend. Officials at the Minnesota State High School League, which oversees high school sports, know of at least three teens who have died this school year after going into sudden cardiac arrest during a game or practice. Associate Director Jody Redman says most schools have portable defibrillators, but there hasn't been enough training on those machines - or in the need to act fast when someone goes down. 'I think people in many cases will stand and look at one another, and look at the victim - who's lying on the floor - and say 'what happened?'' said Redman. 'They don't respond immediately, and in talking to some of the rescuers we've had involved wtih this program, they shift into auto-pilot almost immediately.' Redman says most schools have procedures for emergencies during school, but there are fewer resources available after school - when practices and games are going on. A $50,000 grant from the Medtronic Foundation will help the league offer training on CPR and other emergency procedures to coaches and other supervisors throughout the state" - Minnesota Public Radio