The CDC reported that yearly totals of sudden cardiac
death (SCD) in people between the ages of 15 and 34 rose 10% overall
in a decade — from 2,719 in 1989 to 3,000 in 1996, according to data presented
by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The alarming aspect of this research was that SCD death rates increased by 30% in young women. Death rates were also higher among young African-Americans than whites.
The CDC Director, Jeffrey Koplan, M.D., M.P.H., stated that smoking cigarettes, obesity, and lack of physical activity are high among adolescents. Poor recognition of heart events in younger patients and delayed application of cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillation may also be contributing to this increase.
Lifestyle changes, plus early identification of risk and prompt attention when signs of heart distress are recognized, could help reduce SCD in people ages 15-34, according to the CDC. "Adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle that includes 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week, a low-fat diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, and either stopping smoking or not starting, are three steps we all can take to help reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death," said George A. Mensah, M.D., chief of cardiovascular health at CDC and co-author of the report.
"Families with a history of early heart disease or sudden cardiac death should talk to their doctors about screening younger family members."
