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Sudden Cardiac Death Causes
Sudden cardiac death occurs when a healthy person dies from a non-traumatic event within one hour of the onset of symptoms. In Korea, there are usually 3~40,000 sudden cardiac deaths per year, and 90% of the causes of death are considered to be ventricular arrhythmias. The other 10% are caused by poor heart pumping.
The most important cause of ventricular arrhythmias is coronary artery disease. When we are under sudden stress, the endocrine system in the body is activated. Among them, when the sympathetic nervous system of the autonomic nervous system becomes hyperactive*, neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and epinephrine (adrenaline) are secreted, causing the heart to contract strongly and blood pressure to rise suddenly. This causes inflammatory changes in the endothelial cells of the heart and causes platelets to clump together, and when the atherosclerotic plaques rupture and attach to blood clots, heart attacks occur.
Situations in which sudden cardiac death occurs
Sudden cardiac death is common in situations of extreme stress. It was reported in the U.S. media that people who are under a lot of stress have a 27% increased risk of heart attack. In fact, during the Iraq War in 1990, there was a close relationship between the number of shelling and the incidence of myocardial infarction. When a major earthquake struck Los Angeles in 1994, there were 16 sudden heart attacks that killed 16 people within an hour of the first quake, and after 9/11, the number of cardiac arrhythmias increased significantly. Even during the 2002 World Cup in South Korea, five players died of heart attacks while watching.
These stressful situations, such as war, natural disasters, or sporting events, can trigger a heart attack. If you are usually very angry, if you are competitive or belligerent, or if you are fainting and sick, you should be careful about watching betting sports.
Types of people at high risk of sudden cardiac death
First of all, people with a family history of myocardial infarction and smokers with high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes are at high risk of sudden cardiac death. This is because they have a high risk of arteriosclerosis. Even if you are under a lot of stress, abdominal obesity, lack of exercise, or excessive drinking habits, it is better to be careful because the risk of arteriosclerosis increases. In addition, patients with heart disease who have weak cardiac ejection volume, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy*, and aortic stenosis are at high risk.
How to Prevent Sudden Cardiac Death
Sudden cardiac death occurs even in people who do not usually have symptoms of heart disease, so public prevention education is important in the first place. In particular, it is very important to manage cardiometabolic syndrome, which can cause atherosclerosis and atherosclerotic plaque due to sudden cardiac death. An electrocardiogram and an ultrasound of the heart can detect these risk factors in advance. The size of the heart and the presence of ischemia can indicate signs of angina pectoris or myocardial infarction, and in cases such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Brugada syndrome*, and QT prolongation syndrome**, sudden cardiac death can be prevented if detected at an early stage through examination.
*Brugada syndrome: A heart-related genetic disorder that can lead to fainting and sudden death during sleep.**QT Lengthening Syndrome: A heart-related genetic disorder with QT interval prolongation of unknown cause.
If you want to prevent sudden cardiac death through your daily habits, you should first reduce your intake of overly stimulating foods, carbohydrates, and fats. Instead, let's eat vegetables, nuts, and fruits in moderation. Smoking must be avoided, excessive drinking and overeating. Also, it is better to maintain a healthy weight by constantly combining aerobic and strength training. For those with heart-related chronic diseases, one way to prevent it is to take medication consistently.
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