The influence of the human biological clock on the occurrence of sudden cardiac arrest

Aim: To assess the frequency of sudden cardiac arrest cases in relation to the time, month, season and gender. In addition, the relationship between age and the time, month and season of SCA occurrence was examined. Finally, an attempt was made to link the occurrence of SCA with human biological cycles. Material and Methods: The research material consisted of data on 1541 cases of sudden cardiac arrest obtained from the Department of Emergency Medical Services of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship Office in Rzeszów. In the statistical analyses, the Chi-square test, Phi test and Kramer’s V were used. Results: Men significantly more often than women experience sudden cardiac arrest 985 (64.8%) vs. 535 (35.2%). Moreover, men more often than women experience SCA at a younger age. In the daily perspective, cardiac arrest occurred most often between 9:00 and 11:59, the number of events was 278, which constituted 18.1% of the total number of cases. No statistically significant relationship between the age and the time of SCA occurrence was found. The season with the highest number of SCA cases was winter – 507 events were noted, which constitutes 32.9%. Conclusions: The frequency of sudden cardiac arrest varies depending on the time of day, month or season. Based on the analyzed group of patients, it was found that cardiac arrests occurred most often in the morning hours and, on an annual basis, in the winter months. Based on the obtained results, it is not possible to clearly link the occurrence of SCA with the human biological clock.