Key result
Recent alcohol intake linked to sudden cardiac death in ~38% of ischemic heart disease cases.
Why the study?
Momentary intake of large quantity of alcohol provokes ventricular ectopic activity increasing electrical instability, but the prevalence of alcohol intake prior to sudden cardiac death was not well characterized.
Is recent alcohol intake associated with sudden cardiac death in patients with ischaemic heart disease?
Case-Control (n=1,819)
Is recent alcohol intake associated with sudden cardiac death in patients with ischaemic heart disease?
A substantial proportion (38%) of sudden cardiac death victims with ischaemic heart disease had consumed alcohol prior to the fatal event, suggesting alcohol intake may act as a trigger for SCD.
Recent alcohol intake precedes many SCD events; leaves open causal contribution in IHD pending prospective confirmation.
AIMS: Momentary intake of large quantity of alcohol provokes ventricular ectopic activity increasing electrical instability. The present study was aimed to assess the prevalence of alcohol intake prior to a sudden cardiac death (SCD) event. METHODS AND RESULTS: Victims of unexpected SCD [n = 2363, age 61 ± 12 years, males 1940 (82%)] included in the Finnish study of genotype and phenotype profiles of SCD (FINGESTURE) had a thorough interview of family members, medico-legal autopsy, and determination of blood alcohol concentration. Because of the Finnish law, all unexpected deaths undergo medico-legal autopsy. Patients who were admitted to a hospital due to an acute myocardial infarction [n = 128, age 63 ± 10 years, males 100 (78%)] served as controls. Based on autopsy findings, 1691 of these victims had ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and were included in the present analysis. A total of 646 (38%) SCD victims with IHD had a blood ethanol concentration above 0‰. Of these victims with blood alcohol test positive, 41% (n = 264) had blood ethanol concentration ≥1.5‰ and 56% (n = 362) ≥1‰. Male SCD victims had more frequently alcohol in blood than the females (40 vs. 27%, P < 0.001, respectively). None of the controls, who gave a consent for the blood ethanol concentration determination (n = 88), had alcohol in blood. Of the controls, 40 (31%) declined to participate in the study and give the consent for blood alcohol testing. CONCLUSION: Almost 4 of 10 of the victims of unexpected SCD have evidence of alcohol intake before the fatal event in the northern Finland autopsy population.
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Perkiömäki et al. (2015) conducted a case-control in Sudden cardiac death (n=1,819). Alcohol intake vs. Acute myocardial infarction controls was evaluated on Blood ethanol concentration above 0‰. Blood alcohol was detected in 38% of sudden cardiac death victims with ischaemic heart disease, compared to 0% of acute myocardial infarction controls.
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