Diabetes linked with risk of sudden cardiac death

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Diabetes is a “strong” risk
factor for sudden cardiac death, with the risk increasing with
the severity of the disease, according to a study published in
the European Heart Journal.

“The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in industrialized
countries is rapidly increasing, and diabetes is suspected to
carry a particularly high risk for sudden cardiac death,” Dr.
Xavier Jouven, of Universite Paris-5, France, and colleagues
write.

The researchers examined the association between blood
sugar level, diabetes and the risk of sudden cardiac death
among individuals enrolled in the Group Health Cooperative of
Puget Sound. The study included 2,040 subjects who experienced
out-of-hospital cardiac arrest between 1980 and 1994. They were
compared with 3,800 control subjects, derived from a random
sample of enrollees.

The researchers classified the subjects as having no
diabetes, borderline diabetes, diabetes without disease of the
small blood vessels, and diabetes with disease of the small
blood vessels.

After accounting for potential contributing factors, the
team found a progressively higher risk of sudden cardiac death
associated with borderline diabetes (24 percent), diabetes
without disease of the small blood vessels (73 percent), and
diabetes with disease of the small blood vessels (266 percent)
compared with no diabetes.

The relationship between diabetes and sudden cardiac death
may involve heart disease, atherosclerosis or a combination of
processes, Jouven’s team suggests. High blood sugar levels can
promote disease of the small blood vessels without causing
symptoms, they note, which might contribute to sudden cardiac
death risk.

SOURCE: European Heart Journal, October 2005.