Careful screening to target interventions to prevent sudden cardiac death.
1. Cardiac death is due not only to coronary artery disease, but also to left ventricular (LV) abnormalities (fibrosis, dysfunction) and arrhythmogenic triggers, such as autonomic imbalance. 2. Nitric oxide deficiency could be a key mediator leading not only to coronary atherosclerosis, but also to LV abnormalities and autonomic imbalance. 3. It may be possible to screen for the above abnormalities (e.g. echocardiography and brain natriuretic peptide levels for LV abnormalities, 24 h tapes for autonomic imbalance and QT interval analysis). 4. Once individuals are identified as being at high risk, a range of interventions is possible (e.g. intensive statin therapy or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors if LV abnormalities or autonomic imbalance are found).
Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, United Kingdom. a.d.struthers@dundee.ac.uk
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D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans