Acute cardiac care & resuscitationCohort study
Smoking and the risk of sudden cardiac arrest in young-aged adults: a Korean nationwide population-based study
- Retrospective cohort study
- nationwide population-based
- longitudinal
Authors' conclusion
In young-aged adults, current smoking was associated with significantly increased risk of SCA in long-term follow-up. The risk of SCA showed a dose-dependent association with cumulative burden of lifetime cigarette exposure.
Study context
- Population
- Adults aged 20–39 years who underwent health screening 2009–2012, South Korea national health screening database
- Participants
- 6,293,672 adults
- Exposure
- Ex-smokers and current smokers vs non-smokers
- Outcome
- Occurrence of SCA
- Follow-up
- Median 9.7 years
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
SCA
Each group vs non-smokersAdjusted HRP value
Current smokers
1.69(95% CI 1.57–1.81)
P < 0.001Ex-smokers
0.96(CI 0.86–1.07)
P = 0.420Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | adjusted HR (CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCA by smoking burden (heavy smokers, ≥20 pack-years) | 2.15 (1.90–2.43) | P < 0.001 | |
| 0.512Adjusted hazard ratio (log scale) |
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) by smoking burden (heavy smokers, ≥20 pack-years)
- Higher smoking burden associated with accelerated risk of SCA
Original publication
Smoking and the risk of sudden cardiac arrest in young-aged adults: a Korean nationwide population-based study. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 29 August 2025. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf327
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it