Behavioral risk factors of sudden cardiac arrest.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and the behavioral factors exhaustion and nonexpression of emotions.


METHODS
Case-control study of 99 victims of SCA and 119 coronary controls, matched for gender and age.


RESULTS
Victims of SCA were more often assessed as exhausted and as closed by their family members than controls. A significant interaction between exhaustion and closeness on the risk of SCA was observed. Those who were exhausted and did not express their emotions had a sevenfold greater risk of SCA.


CONCLUSIONS
The behavioral factor of exhaustion and nonexpression of emotions may contribute to the identification of persons at elevated risk for SCA.
Appels
A
A
Department of Medical, Clinical, and Experimental Psychology, University of Maastricht, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Golombeck
B
B
Gorgels
A
A
de Vreede
J
J
van Breukelen
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D019260:Expressed Emotion; D005221:Fatigue; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors