Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
Ventricular arrhythmias and haemodynamic collapse during acute coronary syndrome: increased risk for sudden cardiac death?
- Retrospective cohort study
- consecutive patients
- competing-risk (subdistribution hazard) model
Authors' conclusion
Ventricular fibrillation/VT in ACS is associated with a remarkably high long-term risk for SCD in patients with an LVEF ≥40%.
Study context
- Population
- Consecutive acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients undergoing coronary angiography with baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥40%, 2007–2018
- Participants
- 8,062 patients
- Exposure
- Acute-phase ventricular fibrillation (VF)/ventricular tachycardia (VT) leading to resuscitation during ACS vs no such VF/VT
- Outcome
- SCD-equivalent life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) (life-threatening VAs (LTVAs)): true SCDs and SCDs aborted by successful resuscitation or appropriate implantable cardiac device (ICD) therapy
- Follow-up
- Median 7.6 years
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
LTVA (SCD-equivalent life-threatening VAs)
- Overall LTVA, all patients (n = 316)
- 3.9%
- VF/VT during ACS and risk of future sudden cardiac death (SCD): HR
- 3.07 (95% CI 1.94-4.85, P < 0.001)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Characteristics of acute-phase VF/VT
- Occurred before angiography
- 80.6%, n = 170
- VF
- 92.9%, n = 196
Original publication
Ventricular arrhythmias and haemodynamic collapse during acute coronary syndrome: increased risk for sudden cardiac death? Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 23 February 2024. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwae074
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it