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COPD increases sudden cardiac death risk

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COPD increases sudden cardiac death risk

COPD is associated with an approximately 30 per cent increased risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD), the European Heart Journal reports. Researchers from Holland enrolled 13,471 people aged at least 45 years. Of these, 1,615 were diagnosed with COPD and 551 died from SCD.

After adjusting for age and sex, COPD was associated with a 34 per cent increased risk of SCD. COPD was not significantly associated with SCD in the first 2,000 days (5.48 years) after the COPD diagnosis but the risk doubled thereafter (hazard ratio [HR] 2.12). The difference between other causes of SCD and controls emerged “much earlier”.

People who experienced, on average, at least two moderate or severe exacerbations a year were about three times more likely to succumb to SCD (HR 3.21) 2,000 days or more following diagnosis, after adjusting for confounders.

This compared to a 52 per cent increased risk among people without frequent exacerbations. Overall, COPD almost doubled SCD risk, independent of confounders including age, sex and pack-years of cigarette smoking (HR 1.93).

The researchers are now investigating the mechanisms underlying the high risk of SCD in COPD patients including exploring links between arrhythmias, COPD and SCD. (doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehv121).

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