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Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Methods for ECG Evaluation of Indicators of Cardiac Risk, and Susceptibility to Aconitine-induced Arrhythmias in Rats Following Status Epilepticus
Published on: April 5, 2011
Behavioral risk factors of sudden cardiac arrest
A Appels1, B Golombeck, A Gorgels
1Department of Medical, Clinical, and Experimental Psychology, University of Maastricht, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and the behavioral factors exhaustion and nonexpression of emotions.
Methods:
Case-control study of 99 victims of SCA and 119 coronary controls, matched for gender and age.
Results:
Victims of SCA were more often assessed as exhausted and as closed by their family members than controls. A significant interaction between exhaustion and closeness on the risk of SCA was observed. Those who were exhausted and did not express their emotions had a sevenfold greater risk of SCA.
Conclusion:
The behavioral factor of exhaustion and nonexpression of emotions may contribute to the identification of persons at elevated risk for SCA.
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