Acute cardiac care & resuscitation
Transient anticholinergic burden and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a case-crossover study
Authors' conclusion
Transient increases in anticholinergic burden significantly raise OHCA risk, particularly among individuals with higher burden levels.
Study context
- Population
- Adults aged ≥40 years with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), 2011–2021, Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database; middle-aged (40–64 years) or older (≥65 years)
- Participants
- 173,974 adults
- Comparison
- Anticholinergic burden score 1-2 and ≥3 vs 0
- Outcome
- OHCA risk by anticholinergic burden in hazard period (days −30 to −1) vs 30-day reference period (days −180 to −61)
Methodological detailsnationwide, case-time-control, case-case-time-control
- Nationwide
- Case-time-control
- Case-case-time-control
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
OHCA
Odds ratio (95% CI)
Score 1-2vs Score 0middle-aged
1.48(1.42–1.55)
Score 1-2vs Score 0older
1.56(1.52–1.61)
Score ≥3vs Score 0middle-aged
2.03(1.95–2.11)
Score ≥3vs Score 0older
2.21(2.15–2.27)
Further findings
Case-time-control and case-case-time-control analyses
- Consistent dose-response relationship, confirmed by sensitivity analyses
Original publication
Transient anticholinergic burden and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a case-crossover study. Eur Heart J. Published 25 September 2025. doi:10.
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