Young Swedish patients with sudden cardiac death have a lifestyle very similar to a control population

Figures & data

Figure 1. Diagnoses in 162 cases of sudden cardiac death in 15–35 year olds in Sweden 1992–1999, in athletes and non-athletes (not including 19 cases of aortic aneurysm). DCM, dilated cardiomyopathy; HCM, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; ARVC, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

Table I.  Training intensity of a group of athletic victims of sudden cardiac death and that of a control group.

	Men			Women
	SCD (n=97)	Controls (n=1048)	p-Value	SCD (n=41)	Controls (n=1083)	p-Value
Athlete's training ≥3 times/week	18	176	0.8	2	66	0.7
Athlete's training <3 times/week	10	249	0.002	2	131	0.02

Table II.  Characteristics of cases of sudden cardiac death in the young, and those of a control group.

	Men			Women
	SCD (n=97)	Controls (n=1971)	p-Value	SCD (n=41)	Controls (n=1924)	p-Value
Physical activity
<1 time/week	42	690		26	685
1–2 times/week	30	704		8	885
>2 times/week	25	577	0.25	7	354	0.001
Smoking	24	290	0.007	13	442	0.19
Snuff	12	530	0.002	0	23
BMI (kg/m^2)	23.7	23.7	1	26.9	22.5	<0.001
Asthma medication^a	3	79	0.7	2	135	0.6
Oral contraceptives	0	0		6	577	0.03

^aAsthma medication at least 2 weeks per year.