22 Jul Blacks are Significantly Younger Than Whites At Time of Cardiac Arrest

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Sumeet Chugh MD
Pauline and Harold Price Professor of Cardiac Electrophysiology
Associate director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute

Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: Research studies performed in the past 2 decades suggest that there is a higher burden of sudden cardiac arrest in black americans compared to whites. However there are no studies that explore the reasons for this phenomenon. Our study confirmed that these observations hold true in the current era. There are two additional novel findings. Firstly, we uncovered the disturbing fact that blacks are significantly younger than whites at the time of their cardiac arrest. The majority of blacks are under the age of 65 and the majority of whites were over 65. Furthermore, blacks who suffered sudden cardiac arrest were more likely to have diabetes, high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease.

Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Response: This initial study indicates that there may be unique clinical differences between blacks and whites who suffer sudden cardiac arrest. In the past we assumed that reduction in coronary disease would also reduce burden of sudden cardiac arrest. While more research is needed, it is possible that effective prevention of sudden cardiac arrest in blacks may require treatment of diabetes, hypertension and kidney disease. The nature of sudden cardiac arrest prevention may be different in blacks vs. Whites.

Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: Significant further research is needed that also compares these subjects to blacks and whites who have not suffered sudden cardiac arrest. We need to further understand the specific reasons for these unique clinical differences.

Citation:

Kyndaron Reinier, Gregory A. Nichols, Adriana Huertas-Vazquez, Audrey Uy-Evanado, Carmen Teodorescu, Eric C. Stecker, Karen Gunson, Jonathan Jui, Sumeet S. Chugh. Distinctive Clinical Profile of Blacks versus Whites Presenting with Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Circulation, 2015; CIRCULATIONAHA.115.015673 DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.115.015673

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Dr. Sumeet Chugh MD (2015). Blacks are Significantly Younger Than Whites At Time of Cardiac Arrest 

Last Updated on July 22, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD