Am I at risk of cardiac arrest?
The rate of sudden cardiac arrest is about one per 1,000 people.
That makes sudden cardiac arrest one of the most frequent causes of death worldwide.
Many of the causes of sudden cardiac arrest boil down to the choices we make.
Heart attack leading to cardiac arrest
Sudden cardiac arrest can result from heart attack – which in turn, is generally caused by coronary heart disease.
Coronary heart disease is caused by a build-up of fatty deposits in the coronary arteries. Heart attacks occur when these build-ups eventually block the flow of oxygenated blood to the heart muscle.
The risk of heart disease can be congenital – that is, something we’re born with.
Risks can also be heightened by lifestyle choices, such as smoking, diet and lack of exercise.
Coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases accounted for more than one-third of all deaths globally in 2019. These are preventable, and therefore premature deaths.
One way to prevent premature deaths is to address the behaviours that cause them.
Behavioural causes for cardiac arrest
Heart attack and cardiac arrest are two different things.
While a heart attack frequently offers plenty of warning signs before it hits, a cardiac arrest happens with little or no warning.
A heart attack can escalate into a sudden cardiac arrest. It’s not the only cause of cardiac arrest, however.
For example, drowning, electrocution, choking and hypothermia can cause the heart to arrest.
Your lifestyle also plays a role. For example, drug abuse and excessive alcohol consumption can both cause sudden cardiac arrest.
Some foods, beverages and medications we trust to be safe for consumption can also increase risk of cardiac arrest.
Energy drinks are a prime example. This study showed the potentially harmful impact of less than a litre (or 32 oz) of energy drink consumed within 60 minutes had on heart rate.
It’s possible to buy single energy drinks containing more than this amount from any supermarket or corner store. You could be forgiven for automatically thinking these containers are safe to consume.
Partly for this reason, experts have recommended avoidance of stimulant-containing energy drinks in anything more than small doses.
Some blood pressure medications, antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs have also been linked to increased risks of sudden cardiac arrest.
Being prepared
Back to the study mentioned earlier. It concluded:
“Sudden cardiac death occurs most often at home in the presence of relatives and after a longer period of typical warning symptoms…educational programs tailored for patients at risk and their relatives should have a higher priority.”
In other words, prevention is better than cure. Given so many causes of sudden cardiac arrest appear to be at least partly behavioural in nature, this is good advice.