Guest blog: Carl “Chip” Lavie
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a catastrophic cardiac event, that is often the first, last and only cardiac event for unfortunate victims. In a study published July 1,2016 in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, led by David Jimenez-Pavon, Enrique Artero, DC Lee and senior author , Dr Steven Blair from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, my colleagues and I reported on a cohort of over 55,000 followed for 15 years on average , during which 109 SCDs occurred.
Those with moderate or high cardiorespiratory fitness had over 45 percent lower risk of SCD compared to those low-fit individuals. For each one met increase in estimated fitness, there was a 14 percent reduction in the risk of SCD. Those with hypertension, overweight/obesity, and unhealthy profiles had even greater benefits with higher fitness regarding reducing the risk of SCD.
Read also: Physical activity and exercise among older adults – The Generation 100 study
Although there are numerous benefits of higher fitness to reduce cardiovascular disease, mortality, and even cancers, these data now support the benefits of higher fitness to reduce SCD! Hopefully these data will add to the motivation oh health care providers to promote effective physical activity and exercise training to increase fitness levels in our patients and in our communities/societies, and for our patients to adopt lifestyle changes that promote higher fitness.
Carl “Chip” Lavie MD, FACC
Medical Director, Cardiac Rehabilitation and Prevention
Director, Exercise Laboratories
John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute
Professor of Medicine
Ochsner Clinical School-UQ School of Medicine
Editor-in-Chief, Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases
