New Study Ties Lifestyle Choices To Sudden Heart Failure
A recent study suggests that a majority of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) cases could be avoided through better management of personal health, environmental conditions, and lifestyle choices.
Published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, the research indicates that up to 63% of SCA incidents might be preventable by modifying 56 common risk factors. “We didn’t expect to find such a large portion—between 40% and 63%—of cases that could be prevented by addressing unhealthy habits and exposures,” said Renjie Chen, a public health professor at Fudan University in Shanghai.
Sudden cardiac arrest happens when the heart abruptly stops functioning, a medical emergency highlighted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as requiring immediate attention.
To understand the underlying causes, the researchers reviewed data from over half a million participants in the UK Biobank, a long-term health research project. Over nearly 14 years, 3,147 of these individuals experienced SCA. The team examined 125 potentially modifiable factors—ranging from lifestyle habits to environmental and psychological variables—and compared those affected by SCA to those who remained healthy.
They ultimately identified 56 variables strongly linked to SCA, 25 of which were responsible for 10% to 17% of cases. Factors such as smoking, physical inactivity, excessive TV viewing, poor sleep, obesity, breathing issues, low grip strength, and lower educational attainment were among the most influential.
“This is the first in-depth study to explore the relationship between non-clinical, modifiable elements and the risk of sudden cardiac arrest,” noted Chen.
Lifestyle choices were found to be particularly impactful. Improvements in diet, exercise, and reduction of harmful behaviors like smoking and heavy drinking were associated with an 18% lower risk.
Lead researcher Huihuan Luo emphasized that modifying these risk factors could result in a significant decrease in SCA cases. “The data clearly shows that lifestyle changes offer the greatest potential for prevention,” Luo said.
Surprisingly, the study also found that time spent using a computer might offer some protection against SCA, though this could be tied to higher education levels rather than the sedentary behavior itself.
Some protective factors identified included drinking champagne or white wine in moderation, maintaining a healthy weight, managing blood pressure, staying in good spirits, and achieving higher education.
An editorial accompanying the study noted the unexpected cardiovascular benefits linked to champagne and white wine. “This challenges the long-standing belief that only red wine offers heart benefits,” wrote Nicholas Grubic, a public health doctoral candidate at the University of Ontario. While the exact reasons remain unclear, Grubic noted the findings point to a more nuanced view of alcohol’s impact on heart health.
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