Acute cardiac care & resuscitation
Sudden Cardiac Death in People With Schizophrenia: Higher Risk, Poorer Resuscitation Profiles, and Differing Pathologies
Authors' conclusion
People with schizophrenia account for 11% of young SCD patients referred for forensic investigations, exceeding population rates by 11-fold. They have a higher preexisting cardiac risk factor burden, unfavorable resuscitation profiles, and higher rates of nonischemic cardiomyopathy.
Study context
- Population
- People aged 15 to 50 years with sudden cardiac death (SCD) referred for forensic evaluation, 2-year period (End Unexplained Cardiac Death (EndUCD) registry)
- Participants
- 579 people
- Exposure
- Schizophrenia vs no schizophrenia among young SCD cases
- Schizophrenian = 65
- Outcome
- Proportion of SCD cases with schizophrenia
Methodological detailsstate-wide registry
- State-wide registry
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Schizophrenia
11.2%
65
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Smoking (schizophrenia vs no schizophrenia)
- More commonly smokers with schizophrenia
- 46.2% vs 23.0%; P < 0.0001
Excess alcohol (schizophrenia vs no schizophrenia)
- Excess alcohol more common with schizophrenia
- 32.3% vs 21.4%; P = 0.05
QTc-prolonging medications (schizophrenia vs no schizophrenia)
- QTc-prolonging medication use more common with schizophrenia
- 69.2% vs 17.9%; P < 0.0001
Arrest while exercising (schizophrenia vs no schizophrenia)
- Less likely to arrest while exercising with schizophrenia
- 0.0% vs 6.4%; P = 0.04
Witnessed arrest (schizophrenia vs no schizophrenia)
- Lower rates of witnessed arrest with schizophrenia
- 6.2% vs 23.5%; P < 0.0001
Found in asystole (schizophrenia vs no schizophrenia)
- More likely found in asystole with schizophrenia
- 92.3% vs 73.3%; P < 0.0001
Time to discovery at welfare check (schizophrenia vs no schizophrenia)
- Found after a more prolonged period with schizophrenia (median)
- 42 hours vs 12 hours; P = 0.003
Evidence of decomposition (schizophrenia vs no schizophrenia)
- More frequent evidence of decomposition with schizophrenia
- 41.2% vs 26.4%; P = 0.04
Autopsy performed (schizophrenia vs no schizophrenia)
- Autopsy more common with schizophrenia
- 93.8% vs 82.5%; P = 0.05
Nonischemic cardiomyopathy diagnosis (schizophrenia vs no schizophrenia)
- Nonischemic cardiomyopathy more common with schizophrenia
- 29.2% vs 18.1%; P = 0.04
Original publication
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