Trends in sudden cardiac death in the northern Sweden MONICA area 1985-99.
OBJECTIVE
To describe time trends in sudden cardiac death (SCD) occurrences between 1985 and 1999.


METHODS
Cohort study with analysis of a database of all symptomatic and/or fatal acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) in the two northernmost counties in Sweden, partly north of the Arctic Circle.


METHODS
A total of 1139 cases of SCD amongst men and women aged 35-64 years.


METHODS
Sudden cardiac death.


RESULTS
Amongst men the proportion of SCD to all AMI deaths (within 28 days of an AMI) was 38% and for women 31%. The mean yearly incidence of SCD in this age group was 65 per 100,000 men and 12 per 100,000 women. Amongst men the mean yearly incidence decreased by 1.8% (95% confidence interval -3.2 to -0.3) and amongst women the decrease was 1.0% (95% confidence interval -4.4 to 2.4). Diabetes mellitus was more common in women compared with men (24% vs. 14%, P = 0.001). Men suffered an SCD more often around noon and on Saturdays, whereas women suffered their SCD on Mondays and Fridays. For season, men and women behaved similarly with a winter peak, although statistical significance was reached only for men.


CONCLUSIONS
The SCD decreased amongst men between 1985 and 1999. There was also a decrease amongst women during the same time period but not to a statistically significant degree, possibly caused by lack of statistical power due to small numbers.
Messner
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T
Department of Internal Medicine, Kiruna District Hospital, Kiruna, Sweden. torbjorn.messner@kiruna.se
Lundberg
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V
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors