BACKGROUND: In Vietnam, epidemiologic study concerning sudden cardiac death (SCD) is still lacking. The aim of this study was to highlight some characteristics of SCD in Khanh Hoa Hospital covering the community of Nhatrang city (328km~2, 337,803 inhabitants). METHODS: Retrospective study on all out-of-hospital cardiac arrest from January 1, 2000 to June 30, 2002. These patients were seen in the Emergency Room (ER) and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with a presumed diagnosis of SCD. All the patients underwent advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by the attending physician immediately upon arrival to the ER. RESULTS: 174 cases of SCD were identified out of 330 cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (52.72). The overall incidence CPR attempted SCD is estimated 18.5 cases /100,000 population per year (95 CI, 17.0 to 21.0). Infants: seven cases with one case < six months. Adults: 164 cases. Sex. Male: female ratio of 2.41. Mean age: 53.97+/-18.95. Arrest at patients' home: 89.1. Bystander-initiated CPR: 11.5. Causes and contributing factors in SCD: History of heart diseases: 90 cases (51.72) including coronary artery disease: 25, hypertension 48, heart failure: 4, arrhythmia: 5, congenital heart diseases: 2 and heart disease of undefined cause: 24. Extreme physical activity: 2. Sudden infant death syndrome: 1. Sudden death in children. 5. "Cafe coronary": 3. Psychic stress: 2. Alcoholic states: 3 Sudden death occurred during sleep: 17.8 with 14 cases in the 16-to-44-year age group and all male. Circadian of SCD occurred with high peaks: 5-7 hours: 15.5 and 11-13 hours: 16.09 21 -23 hours: 19.54. Prodromes: 33.9. Sixteen cases had returned of spontaneous circulation after CPR in the ER and hospitalized to ICU (9.19) with three cases were discharged alive (1.72). CONCLUSION: The SCD is an important public health problem, which represents a majority of the mode of death due to cardiovascular diseases in Vietnam. Survival for SCD was dismal. Every link in the chain of survival has to be improved, especially, the community-based interventions as well as the efforts to achieve better predictive strategies.
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