WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Residents of lower
income neighborhoods are more likely to experience sudden cardiac
arrest, a new study finds.
Sudden cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack. In
sudden cardiac arrest, the heart stops beating and circulation of
blood and oxygen to the brain and vital organs ceases, often
leading to death within moments.
In the study, researchers from the United States and Canada
analyzed 9,235 cases of sudden cardiac arrest in four U.S. cities
(Dallas, Pittsburgh, Portland and Seattle-King County, Wash.) and
three in Canada (Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver). The cardiac
arrests occurred either at home or in nursing homes or
assisted-living facilities.
In six of seven cities, the incidence of sudden cardiac arrest
was higher in poorer neighborhoods than in more affluent ones.
This was especially true for those under age 65. People in the
lowest 25 percent of income had sudden cardiac arrest rates two to
four times higher than those in the upper 25 percent in the United
States; in Canada, the disparity between lower and higher income
was as high as three-fold.
In the cities studied, median household income was $50,000 to
$63,000. Lower income neighborhoods were those in the $30,000 to
$41,000 range, while the highest incomes ranged from $72,000 to
$97,000.
The study appears in the
Canadian Medical Association Journal.
"Our results showing a younger mean age of sudden cardiac arrest in the United States may be consistent with more poorly controlled cardiovascular disease," the researchers wrote.
More information
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides more
information on
income disparities in health care.