Klinische und experimentelle Kardiologie
Offener Zugang

Abstrakt

SCD: Prevalence and Outcome in a German Holiday Area

Falko Tillwich, Ralph Schneider, Jorg Lauschke, Imke Wendig and Dietmar Bansch

Background: Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) is one of the most frequent modes of death in industrial countries, resulting in approximately 180,000-300,000 deaths in the US and 70,000-100,000 in Germany. These figures show regional variations and are largely dependent on study design. We conducted a retrospective study in a German holiday area in order to determine if retrospective data can be used for the epidemiologic evaluation of SCD.

Methods: Rostock has two hospitals and one centrally organized ambulance service. Data from the two hospitals and the ambulance service as well as all death certificates were analyzed and cross-related in order to find cases of SCD in the years 2005 to 2007.

Results: Between 2005 and 2007, 276 cases of SCD were found resulting in a stable incidence of about 46 SCD per 100.000 inhabitants per year. 179 (64.9%) were male, mean age 69.7 ± 16.4 years. 186 (67%) cases occurred at home, the most common co-morbidity was coronary artery disease (n=179, 64.9%). 156 (56.5%) received CPR, 103 (37.3%) were defibrillated, only 37 (13.4%) were discharged from hospital alive. Comparing the main diagnosis of the three sources, diagnosis of death certificates differed considerably from hospital and emergency medical service files.

Conclusion: A comparison with prospective studies revealed that the incidence of SCD can be determined retrospectively, if besides ICD-codes and death certificates, multiple sources are used and cross-related.