SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH IN 15 TO 39-YEAR-OLD TAIWANESE POPULATION

Shu-Ching Chiu, MSN, Mei-Ling Lin, Ph.D, Shu-Chen Yang, MSN, Lee-Wen Pai, MSN, Chuan- Mei Chen, MSN, Horng-Mo Lee, Ph. D, Yueh-Chin Chung, Ph. D*

ABSTRACT

Background: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) among the young (15 to 39-year-old) population has gained increasing attention in recent years, above all when occurring in young people, remains a major clinical problem. Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the effects of age, sex, and season and causes on outpatient SCDs from 2009 to 2010 in Taiwan. Methods: Cross-sectional study.Dates were identified using the International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes of inpatient SCDs recorded by National Health Insurance Research Database (HNIRDs) from 2009 to 2010. Results: A total 684 SCD patients were men (70.75%), with a mean age of 30.9 years. The annual incidence of SCD increased by 17.0% from 2009 (3.53 per 100,000 person-years) to 2010 (4.13 per 100,000 person-years). The incidence was higher for men (4.85 to 5.85 per 100,000 person-years) than women (2.18 to 2.37 per 100,000 person-years). After adjusting for sex and age, increased risk of SCD in winter was observed (RR=1.30, 95% CI 0.23-1.43; p=0.01). Conclusions: The study posits that the major determinants of SCDs in Taiwan were male, 30 to 39 years old, and winter. Clinical diagnoses of SCDs include cardiovascular diseases of cardiac arrest(n=555, 88.66%), mitral valve prolapse, aortic valve stenosis, acute myocarditis, and coronary artery aneurysm disease. In relation to these, ECG to a history and physical examination prevention and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) programs may help reduce the risk of SCD.

Keywords: sudden Cardiac Death (SCD), incidence, young, cardiac arrest, sex distribution.