People who have the common lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), face an increased risk of sudden cardiac death, a new study has found.

COPD is an umbrella term for a number of chronic lung disorders, including bronchitis and emphysema. It is a progressive, disabling condition caused by a narrowing of the airways. The disease currently affects around 380,000 people in Ireland and it is the world's third biggest killer.

Sudden cardiac death describes a sudden and unexpected death caused by the failure of the heart to work. The most common cause is heart disease.

European researchers looked at almost 15,000 people aged 45 and older who are taking part in an ongoing study. They found that those with COPD had a 34% increased risk of experiencing sudden cardiac death, compared to people without the lung condition.

Furthermore, this risk of sudden cardiac death increased even further five years after their COPD diagnosis. Overall, COPD patients who experienced a frequent worsening of symptoms had a three-fold increased risk of sudden cardiac death after five years.

Meanwhile, the study also found that people with COPD who died of sudden cardiac death were more likely to die at night.

The researchers said that while sudden cardiac death is a big health problem, ‘probably not all risk indicators have been identified'.

"COPD has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and with sudden cardiac death in specific high-risk patient populations. This study shows that COPD is a risk indicator for sudden cardiac death in the general population and that the risk increases with COPD severity. This provides directions for further measures to prevent sudden cardiac death," they commented.

They added that ‘the most important way to prevent COPD and SCD is not to smoke and to have a healthy lifestyle'.

"If a person does develop COPD, then this is even more important, as smoking, an unhealthy diet and a sedentary lifestyle have been proven to increase the risk of SCD. Therefore, smoking cessation is not only important for the course of COPD but also for the development of heart problems and, subsequently, the occurrence of SCD," they added.

Details of these findings are published in the European Heart Journal.

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