Individuals experience sex-specific symptoms before impending cardiac arrest: Study

For this study, investigators used two established and ongoing community-based studies: the ongoing Prediction of Sudden Death in Multi-Ethnic Communities (PRESTO) Study in Ventura County, California, and the Oregon Sudden Unexpected Death Study (SUDS), based in Portland, Oregon.

Both studies provide Cedars-Sinai investigators with unique, community-based data to establish how to best predict sudden cardiac arrest.

In both the Ventura and Oregon studies, Smidt Heart Institute investigators evaluated the prevalence of individual symptoms and sets of symptoms prior to sudden cardiac arrest, then compared these findings to control groups that also sought emergency medical care.

The Ventura-based study showed that 50% of the 823 people who had a sudden cardiac arrest witnessed by a bystander or emergency medicine professional, such as an emergency medicine service (EMS) responder, experienced at least one telltale symptom 24 hours previously. The Oregon-based study showed similar results.

Reference: Warning symptoms associated with imminent sudden cardiac arrest: a population-based case-control study with external validation, Lancet Digital Health, DOI 10.1016/PIIS2589-7500(23)00147-4