Risk Of Cardiac Death Highest 30 Days After Heart Attack
Research conducted by the Minneapolis Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center and the Mayo Clinic notes that the risk of cardiac death is highest within 30 days of a heart attack.
After the 30-day mark, the risk drastically decreases.
Medical records of patients who suffered and survived a heart attack in Olmsted County from 1979 to 2005 were examined. The patients’ average age was 67. After follow-up in 2008, 24% of the patients had died from sudden cardiac death. The rate was four times higher than expected within 30 days of the first heart attack. After 30 days, levels dropped lower than expected.
The instances of sudden cardiac death have declined in the past 25 years, however its risk is still higher than expected in the first month. After the 30-day mark, risk will only increase if the patient suffers heart failure. This story emphasizes the need for on-going monitoring of heart attack patients long after the attack.