A team of Chinese researchers has found that consuming champagne or white wine, along with a diet rich in fruits, maintaining a positive mood, and keeping a healthy weight can help reduce the risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).
Millions of people worldwide die each year from sudden cardiac arrest, where the heart stops pumping blood without any warning symptoms. Typically, SCA is caused by a dangerous (abnormal) heart rhythm, which occurs when the heart’s electrical system malfunctions, the scientists noted.
What Did the Researchers Report?
The study identified 56 non-clinical risk factors associated with SCA. These factors encompass lifestyle choices, physical indicators, psychosocial elements, socioeconomic status, and living environments. The researchers found compelling evidence that addressing certain factors could prevent a significant number of sudden cardiac arrest cases.
Meanwhile, factors such as drinking champagne and white wine, consuming plenty of fruits, maintaining a positive outlook, controlling weight and blood pressure, and a desire for knowledge may serve as important protective factors against SCA.
The team concluded that between 40 to 63 percent of sudden cardiac arrest cases could be avoided if previous studies had considered all 56 risk factors.
Co-author of the study, Jianzhe Chen from Fudan University in Shanghai, stated, “To our knowledge, this is the first study to comprehensively examine the links between modifiable non-clinical risk factors and SCA. We were surprised to find that a significant number of SCA cases could be prevented by improving negative profiles.”
What Did the Study Reveal?
The team analyzed data from over 500,000 individuals from the UK Biobank. Over a span of 14 years, 3,147 individuals from the cohort experienced SCA, as reported by The Guardian.
Lead researcher Huihuan Luo, also from Fudan University, noted, “All previous studies on SCA risk factors were based on hypotheses and focused on a limited number of potential influencing factors. Our research revealed a significant connection between various modifiable factors and sudden cardiac arrest, with lifestyle changes proving to be the most effective in preventing cases of the disease.”
According to the study, eliminating the worst third of the 56 risk factors suggests that 40 percent of SCA cases could be prevented. This figure rises to 63 percent for SCA prevention if the worst two-thirds of risk factors are addressed.
In an editorial accompanying the study, scientists Nicholas Grubik from the University of Toronto and Dakota Gustafson from Queen’s University (Canada) wrote, “One of the most intriguing findings of the study is the cardioprotective effect associated with the consumption of champagne and white wine.” Experts believe this raises questions about the cardioprotective properties of red wine.
The results of the study were published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.