The current annual incidence of sudden cardiac death in the United States is likely to be in
the range of 180 000 to 250 000 per year. Coinciding with the decreased mortality from
coronary artery disease, there is evidence pointing toward a significant decrease in rates of
sudden cardiac death in the United States during the second half of the 20th century.
However, the alarming rise in prevalence of obesity and diabetes in the first decade of the
new millennium both in the United States and worldwide, would indicate that this favorable …