April 29, 2025, 4:50 pm | Read time: 7 minutes

Sudden cardiac death often strikes people without any warning–and many causes remain unclear to this day.¹ While risk factors such as high blood pressure or heart disease are known, they do not explain all cases. A recent study therefore examined whether everyday influences such as exercise, sleep, or psychological stress could also play a role. Particularly striking: Even moderate consumption of champagne was associated with a lower risk–an unexpected finding that is unlikely to be attributed to the alcohol itself. It is more likely that consumption is associated with other favorable life circumstances and should not be understood as a recommendation for action. FITBOOK explains what exactly was investigated–and what can really be derived from the results.

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Study aimed to uncover modifiable risk factors for cardiac death

To learn more about non-clinical influences on the risk of sudden cardiac death, a research team from Fudan University (China) analyzed data from over 500,000 adults from the UK Biobank. The focus was on 125 everyday, potentially modifiable factors, including:

• Diet
• Sleep
• Exercise
• Psychological well-being
• Environmental pollution
• And social conditions such as education or income.

Until now, many studies relied on preconceived assumptions and only considered individual known risks. In a press release, Huihuan Luo, lead author of the study, explains: “All previous studies that examined the risk factors of sudden cardiac arrest were hypothesis-based and focused on a limited number of possible exposure factors based on prior knowledge or theoretical frameworks.”² Therefore, the researchers pursued a data-driven, open approach: The goal was to comprehensively analyze which factors are associated with an increased or decreased risk of sudden cardiac death in the long term–and what proportion could theoretically be avoided through changes.³

FITBOOK Expert Dr. Christopher Schneeweis explains in a FITBOOK interview why coronary heart disease is so dangerous:

Analysis of over 500,000 data sets

The analysis is based on data from 502,094 adult participants in the UK Biobank. The average follow-up period is 13.8 years. The aim was to find out which everyday factors–such as sleep, diet, or stress–could influence the risk of sudden cardiac death. Unlike many previous studies, they did not start from individual suspicions but analyzed 125 possible influences simultaneously–without assumptions.⁴

To obtain the most reliable indications of actual connections, they also compared genetic differences between participants. This allowed them to better assess whether a connection is more likely to be coincidental–or whether a particular factor could really influence the risk.

Obesity increases the risk of cardiac death–champagne apparently reduces it

During the observation period, 3,147 participants suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. Overall, the researchers found 56 modifiable factors statistically associated with a higher or lower risk. Particularly striking: Champagne was found to be on the risk-reducing side according to the analysis.

Risk-increasing factors included:

• Poor mood
• Obesity
• High systolic blood pressure
• Low educational level

Risk-reducing factors included:

• Higher consumption of champagne and white wine
• Increased fruit intake
• Positive mood
• Weight control
• Blood pressure control
• Higher educational level

Indeed, the impact of the identified factors is anything but negligible: “We were surprised at how many cases of sudden cardiac arrest could be prevented by improving unfavorable profiles,” said co-study leader Renjie Chen. According to the study, avoiding the worst third of all risk factors could prevent a remarkable 40 percent of sudden cardiac arrest cases. If the worst two-thirds are successfully modified, the figure rises to 63 percent. Lifestyle habits seem to make the greatest contribution to prevention: They account for 18 percent of the 63 percent of preventable cases.

What is the significance of the results?

The study makes it clear: Many risk factors for sudden cardiac death can be influenced. Improvements in areas such as exercise, diet, sleep, and mental health could make a big difference. For policymakers and health systems, the results underscore the urgency of focusing more on education, environmental improvements, and socioeconomic support. The emphasis on non-clinical factors makes it clear: Prevention must start in everyday life–before the first symptoms of illness appear.

More on the topic

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Possible limitations of the study

The study impresses with its extensive, innovative design: It combined prospective observational data with genetic methods to verify causal relationships (Mendelian randomization). However, even though the results are exciting, it should be noted that the findings mainly relate to white, middle-aged to older adults in the United Kingdom, which may limit their applicability to other populations. A companion editorial specifically criticizes the UK Biobank for this: It consists of volunteers who lead healthier lifestyles, have fewer health problems, and are more socioeconomically privileged than the overall British population.⁵ Additionally, lifestyle habits were only recorded at the beginning of the study–later changes during the long observation period were not considered. Despite these limitations, the results provide a robust foundation for further research and prevention approaches.

Preventing cardiac death–but certainly not with champagne

Sudden cardiac death is not an inevitable fate. The new study shows: Many everyday habits apparently influence the risk–from diet to exercise to mental health. Social factors such as education and environmental conditions also play an important role.

Individual findings such as the possible protective effect of champagne or white wine should not be misunderstood. The study’s editorial states that while such observations show interesting correlations, they do not prove that drinking champagne actually prevents cardiac arrests. Moreover, this finding raises even bigger questions in research: Previous studies have sometimes shown a cardioprotective effect from red wine–albeit with inconsistent results. The protection was previously attributed to the polyphenols abundantly found in red wine, which are hardly present in champagne and white wine. The exact mechanisms are therefore still unclear. And the idea that the alcohol itself could produce positive effects should be viewed critically.