Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest--the relevance of heart failure. The Maastricht Circulatory Arrest Registry.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the incidence and aetiology of heart failure in out-of-hospital sudden circulatory arrest (SCA) in the Maastricht area of the Netherlands.


METHODS
All cases of SCA were studied in the age group 20 to 75 years between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2000. Demographic characteristics, aetiology and clinical features, related to heart failure were studied.


RESULTS
Four hundred and ninety-two patients were included (72% men), mean age of 62+/-10. The yearly incidence of SCA was 9.2/10,000 inhabitants. Sudden death represented 19% of all deaths, occurring in the same time period. In 52% of the men and 59% of women, SCA was the first manifestation of heart disease. In the SCA group with a cardiac history overt heart failure was present in 26% of the cases, the time interval between the first heart failure episode and SCA being 4.3+/-6.3 year. In the heart failure group the majority had previously been in a poor functional class and LVEF. Concerning aetiology, of the SCA group, 77% were known with CAD and 72% with an old MI. Also in the group with a LVEF >50% CAD was the most frequent cause.


CONCLUSIONS
There is an increased risk of SCA at poorer pump function and most SCA victims with previous heart failure are in a poor functional class SCA. However heart failure is seen in only a minority of the SCA population. CAD is by far the most common cause of SCA.
Gorgels
Anton P M
AP
Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands. gorgels@cardio.azm.nl
Gijsbers
Claudia
C
de Vreede-Swagemakers
Jacqueline
J
Lousberg
Aimee
A
Wellens
Hein J J
HJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D014504:Urban Health