[Current problems in the prevention of sudden cardiac death]

Within the framework of the control of cardiovascular diseases the prophylaxis of the sudden heart death is an actual problem of health policy and medicine. Since the most frequent cause of the sudden heart death is the coronary heart disease, elements of the primary and secondary prophylaxis of the coronary heart disease are also of importance for the prevention of the sudden heart death. Central points of the prophylaxis of the sudden heart death are the improvement of the prehospital care and the shortening of the prehospital times of delay in acute myocardial infarction as well as the recognition, registration and care of risk persons. Nowadays the demand is existing more to fulfil these tasks in the daily practice. The actual possibilities of the medicamentous prophylaxis are analysed and discussed. More and more comprehensive knowledge about the prophylactic effect of the beta-receptor blockers as to the reduction of the frequency of the sudden hearth death is existing. They are most effectful in persons with a high risk particularly after an acute myocardial infarction. Though beta-receptor blockers shall cause changes of the serum lipids, on the basis of a more fundamental analysis of literature can be stated, since there is no clue to it, that beta-receptor blockers further the development of arteriosclerosis. On the contrary there are references for the fact that the development of arteriosclerosis is delayed. For this reason the demand has to be made to fully use the therapeutical potential of the beta-receptor blockers in the therapy of the chronic cardiovascular diseases and their complications.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)