‘Sudden Cardiac Death’ not Exactly Sudden

New research conducted by researchers in Berlin says the condition known as sudden cardiac death may not actually be so sudden. According to their research, symptoms of an impending fatal cardiac arrest begin a long time before the actual incident.

406 patients of sudden cardiac death were studied as part of the research project. Researchers found such patients often start showing symptoms of being on the verge of sudden cardiac death nearly two hours (or 120 minutes) prior to the actual arrest. Chest pain was found to be the most common symptom among such patients.

According to the researchers nearly two-thirds of patients who die from sudden cardiac death have a heart disease history leading up to and setting them up for such heart failure. The new study shows it is possible to save lives of heart patients by training the patients themselves and people around them about symptoms of impending heart failure. In addition they can also be trained about actions to be taken in the event of an arrest.

In the researchers’ opinion efforts to bring down events of sudden cardiac deaths must focus on family members. People closest to the patient must be taught how to recognize symptoms of a cardiac arrest about to happen and how they can administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to help save that patient.

The study findings show chest pain is the most common indication of an impending cardiac arrest and can take place from anywhere between 20 minutes to several hours before the arrest. Chest pain was observed in 25% of the patients who had a cardiac arrest in the presence of other persons while it was found in one-third of the other cases.

The next most common symptom observed was breathlessness which appeared in 17% of witnessed cardiac arrests and 30% of non-witnessed cases. Various other symptoms were spotted in the patients including nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and fainting. The researchers also found CPR helped 13 patients survive out of 57 who were administered resuscitation immediately upon onset of cardiac arrest symptoms.

In comparison only 4% of patients who did not get CPR managed to survive. It is very well known CPR is more likely to be performed when cardiac arrest takes place in public places.

Results of the study have been published in the journal Circulation.

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