Why do cases of sudden cardiac arrest increase in the morning?
Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the most important causes of death. The most important cause of sudden cardiac arrest is irregular heartbeat known as ventricular fibrillation as a result of an electrical disturbance in the heart. We have known for more than 30 years that sudden cardiac arrest increases in the morning, especially between six and ten in the morning. That is, sudden cardiac arrest follows a daily rhythm similar to the body’s biological clock. New research results presented at a recent American Chemical Society conference shed light on this phenomenon and help understand it. Scientists have discovered a protein called KLF15 that regulates the electrical work of the heart and reduces irregular heartbeats. This protein controls the opening of special channels into the heart cells that help transport some important substances to and from the cells. Scientists have noted that the level of this protein follows a daily rhythm regulated by the biological clock, and that heart patients who have a deficiency in this protein are more susceptible to irregular heartbeats and sudden cardiac arrest. The results of the study open new therapeutic horizons, as researchers are currently working on developing drugs that increase the level of this protein in the bodies of heart patients to reduce the possibility of arrhythmia occurring.
