Out-of-hospital sudden cardiac death following myocardial infarction in urban population

Samples of out patient sudden cardiac deaths in Kanagawa Urban prefecture from 1972-1987 and coronary risk factors were studied to determine the increase and/or decrease of myocardial infaction deaths. On the whole death from myocardial infarction increased chronologically, and the rate for females tended to be increased further. The age adjusted myocardial infarction deaths doubled over 10 years, while non-ischemic acute cardiac failure decreased with each generation. Other cardiac diseases tended to be reduced. Cigarette smoking was the highest in advanced countries in male. These findings suggest that deaths from myocard infarction approximately doubled in 10 years in all out-of hospital sudden cardiac deaths. Cigarette smoking from a young age was as great risk as future ischemic heart disease.