title: Impact of Acute Coronary Syndrome Complicated by Ventricular Fibrillation on Long-term Incidence of Sudden Cardiac Death.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is little information on the effect of acute coronary syndrome complicated by ventricular fibrillation on the long-term incidence of sudden cardiac death. We analyzed this effect in a contemporary cohort of patients with acute coronary syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 5302 consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome between December 2003 and December 2012. We compared mortality during and after hospitalization according to the presence or absence of ventricular fibrillation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ventricular fibrillation was observed in 163 (3.1%) patients, and was early onset in 72.4% of these patients. In-hospital mortality was 36.2% in the group with ventricular fibrillation and 4.7% in the group without (p<.001). After a mean follow-up of 4.7 years (standard deviation, 2.6 years), mortality was 30.7% in the ventricular fibrillation group and 24.7% in the other group (P=.23). After adjusting for confounding variables, the presence of ventricular fibrillation was not associated with an increased risk of death in the follow-up period (hazard ratio=1.29; 95% confidence interval, 0.90-1.87). The cause of death was established in 72% of patients. The incidence of sudden death was 12.9% in the ventricular fibrillation group and 11.9% in the other group (P=.71). Cardiovascular-cause mortality was also similar between the 2 groups (35.5% and 34.4%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with acute coronary syndrome complicated by ventricular fibrillation who survive the in-hospital phase do not appear to be at an increased risk of sudden cardiac death or other cardiovascular-cause death.
authors: Servicio de Cardiología y Unidad Coronaria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain. Electronic address: belenalvarezalvarez85@gmail.com.
authors: Belén
authors: B
authors: Álvarez-Álvarez
authors: Servicio de Cardiología y Unidad Coronaria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors: Noelia
authors: N
authors: Bouzas-Cruz
authors: Servicio de Cardiología y Unidad Coronaria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors: Emad
authors: E
authors: Abu-Assi
authors: Servicio de Cardiología y Unidad Coronaria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Raposeiras-Roubin
authors: Servicio de Cardiología y Unidad Coronaria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: López-López
authors: Servicio de Cardiología y Unidad Coronaria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors: María Cristina
authors: MC
authors: González Cambeiro
authors: Servicio de Cardiología y Unidad Coronaria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Peña-Gil
authors: Servicio de Cardiología y Unidad Coronaria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors: José María
authors: JM
authors: García-Acuña
authors: Servicio de Cardiología y Unidad Coronaria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
authors: José Ramón
authors: JR
authors: González-Juanatey
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017052:Hospital Mortality / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D013997:Time Factors; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality
keywords: Acute coronary syndrome; Fibrilación ventricular; Muerte súbita; Sudden death; Síndrome coronario agudo; Ventricular fibrillation