Article

Hypothesis: holiday sudden cardiac death: food and alcohol inhibition of SULT1A enzymes as a precipitant.

Journal of Applied Toxicology (impact factor: 2.48). 06/2012; 32(10):751-5. DOI:10.1002/jat.2764 pp.751-5
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Sudden cardiac death is a significant health issue, causing millions of deaths worldwide annually. Studies have found that the likelihood of such death is higher in winter. Further studies identified that the highest likelihood occurs on Christmas Day and New Years Day, but not the interim period. Thanksgiving, Independence Day and the Islamic holiday Eid Al-Fitr also show significant increases in the rate of cardiac events or death. A number of mechanisms have been proposed, but none have satisfactorily explained the evidence. This article reviews the data supporting the existence of a holiday cardiac death phenomenon, the involvement of catecholamines and the normal modes of human catecholamine deactivation. Further evidence is reviewed that supports a hypothesized mechanism whereby critical SULT1A catecholamine deactivation enzymes can in some patients be inhibited by naturally-occurring phenols and polyphenols in foods and alcohols. If deactivation is inhibited by holiday consumption excesses, holiday stress or excitement could lead to a buildup of catecholamines that can cause fatal arrhythmias. Awareness of this mechanism could reduce deaths, both through doctor/patient education leading to a moderation in consumption and through the potential identification of patients with a predisposition to SULT1A inhibition. This hypothesis also raises parallels between sudden cardiac death in adults and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The possible involvement of SULT1A inhibition in SIDS is discussed.

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Keywords

cardiac events
 
Christmas Day
 
doctor/patient education
 
highest likelihood
 
holiday cardiac death phenomenon
 
holiday consumption excesses
 
holiday stress
 
hypothesized mechanism
 
Independence Day
 
interim period
 
Islamic holiday Eid Al-Fitr
 
naturally-occurring phenols
 
New Years Day
 
normal modes
 
possible involvement
 
significant health issue
 
significant increases
 
sudden cardiac death
 
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
 
SULT1A inhibition
 

Ken Eagle