Impact of Blood Pressure on Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Diabetic Patients

BACKGRUOUND: Hypertension and diabetes mellitus (DM), including pre-hypertension and impaired fasting glucose (IFG), are associated with increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). However, interaction between hypertension and DM needs further examination. METHODS: This study utilized data from the South Korean national healthcare insurance system. People who underwent nationwide health screening in 2012 were enrolled. The impact of blood pressure on SCA was evaluated in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. RESULTS: A total of 4,593,706 people were analyzed with 3,097,423, 1,034,563, and 461,720 people included in non-DM, IFG, and DM group, respectively. Both high blood pressure (systolic, diastolic, and pulse) and DM were associated with an increased risk of SCA with the highest absolute risk observed in patients with both conditions. A significant interaction was found between blood pressure and DM (P for interaction