title: Sudden cardiac death rates in an Australian population: a data linkage study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to develop criteria to identify sudden cardiac death (SCD) and estimate population rates of SCD using administrative mortality and hospital morbidity records in Western Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four criteria were developed using place, death within 24 h, principal and secondary diagnoses, underlying and associated cause of death, and/or occurrence of a post mortem to identify SCD. Average crude, age-standardised and age-specific rates of SCD were estimated using population person-linked administrative data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 9567 probable SCDs were identified between 1997 and 2010, with one-third aged ≥ 35 years having no prior admission for cardiovascular disease. SCD was more frequent in men (62.1%). The estimated average annual crude SCD rate for the period was 34.6 per 100 000 person-years with an average annual age-standardised rate of 37.8 per 100 000 person-years. Age-specific standardised rates were 1.1 per 100 000 person-years and 70.7 per 100 000 person-years in people aged 1-34 and ≥ 35 years, respectively. Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) was recorded as the underlying cause of death in approximately 80% of patients aged ≥ 35 years, followed by valvular heart disease and heart failure. IHD was the most common cause of death in those aged 1-34 years, followed by unspecified cardiomyopathy and dysrhythmias.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administrative morbidity and mortality data can be used to estimate rates of SCD and therefore provide a suitable methodology for monitoring SCD over time. The findings highlight the magnitude of SCD and its potential for public health prevention.
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. Email: ; ;
authors.forename: Jia-Li
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. Email: ; ;
authors.forename: Siobhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hickling
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. Email: ; ;
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nedkoff
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. Email: ; ;
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knuiman
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, 50 Missenden Road, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Semsarian
authors.affiliation: Agnes Ginges Centre for Molecular Cardiology, Centenary Institute, , Building 93, Newtown, NSW 2042, Australia. Email:.
authors.forename: Jodie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ingles
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. Email: ; ;
authors.forename: Tom G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Briffa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult