Abstract MP46: Dietary Pattern and Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death in Post-Menopausal Women

Abstract

Background: The Mediterranean Diet and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet are characterized by higher intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and unsaturated fatty acids. All of these foods/nutrients may affect cholesterol, inflammation, the development of atherosclerosis, and therefore risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Furthermore, the DASH diet is known to lower blood pressure and hypertension is a major risk factor for SCD. Objective: To examine the association between the Mediterranean and DASH dietary patterns and risk of SCD in women. Methods: Post-menopausal women enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative observational study (n = 93,676) completed a food frequency questionnaire at enrollment and at year three. Women enrolled at 40 clinical sites across the U.S. between 1993 and 1998, and were followed for an average of 10.5 years. We scored their diets according to how closely reported diet resembled each dietary pattern. SCD was defined as death occurring within one hour of symptom onset. We estimated risk of SCD according to quintile of dietary pattern score using hazard models with time-varying exposures. Results: A higher Mediterranean diet score was associated with a lower risk of SCD: women in the highest quintile, or who came closest to following the Mediterranean dietary pattern, had a HR of 0.62 (95% CI 0.41-0.93) compared to women in the lowest quintile, after adjustment for age, total energy, race, income, smoking, and physical activity (Table). After adjusting for other traditional coronary heart disease risk factors which are potential mediators, the association remained statistically significant: HR 0.65 (95% CI 0.43-0.99). A higher DASH diet score was not associated with reduced risk of SCD. However, sodium intake, a crucial component of the DASH dietary pattern, was not well-characterized by the FFQ. Conclusions: The Mediterranean dietary pattern may be associated with a lower risk of SCD in post-menopausal women, however there was no indication of a dose-response relationship.