Environmental events preceding sudden death in women

The present case-control study examined if sudden cardiac death in women is preceded by death of a significant other, change in residence, or change in work. The sample included 81 Caucasian women ages 25-64 years in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, who died suddenly from arteriosclerotic heart disease (ASHD) within a 11/2 year interval. Each case was matched to a neighborhood control on the basis of race, age, and sex. Results revealed that relative to matched controls, cases were six times as likely to have experienced the death of a significant other within the last months; they were no more likely to have experienced changes in living conditions or in work. These findings raise the issue of whether death of a significant other is an antecedent event of death due to ASHD only or death due to all causes. Possible explanations for the temporal association between sudden death and death of a significant other are discussed.