Cardiac Death Linked to Lung Malfunction

Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) is caused in people who suffer from lung malfunction. The lung function is measured using spirometry.

Individuals with poor lung function are at higher risk of sudden cardiac death, finds a study presented at European Respiratory Society International Congress.

About 20% of deaths caused in the European population due to heart malfunction did not have any previous warning signs.

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‘The difference in lung function indicates the risk of sudden cardiac death. ’

According to the researchers “Although sudden cardiac deaths are common, we don’t know enough about who is at risk in the general population. There are links between lung and heart health, so we wanted to investigate whether measurable differences in lung function could offer clues about the risk of sudden cardiac death.”

The study was conducted in 28,584 middle aged people in Sweden who had no known heart problems. The individuals underwent spirometry tests (measures the lung function). For the next 40 years recorded SCD’s (sudden cardiac death) or any non-fatal coronary events.

The results showed that middle aged people who had low lung function (one standard deviation was 0.8 liters per minute) were at 23% higher risk of suffering from SCD (sudden cardiac death). Smoking affects both the lungs but the risk remains the same in non-smoker individuals also.

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The study shows that by testing the lungs of middle aged people will identify who are at the higher risk of sudden cardiac death. This will help people to take necessary precautions to reduce the risk.

A major limitation of the study is that the test and questionnaire took place in the beginning of the study and many risk factors and lifestyle could have changed over the years.

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“This study suggests a link between lung health and sudden cardiac death. It shows a higher risk of fatal than non-fatal coronary events even in people whose lung function is moderately lower but may still be within a normal range. This is something we can measure fairly easily, meaning that lung function could be used as part of a screening tool.” Says Marc Humbert- professor at Université Paris-Saclay, France.

More studies are required to understand the link between poor lung function and sudden cardiac death.

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Source: Medindia