Flow chart.

<p>The source region had a population of 2 426 097 people in 2007 [Netherlands Statistics. <a href="http://statline.cbs.nl/" target="_blank">http://statline.cbs.nl/</a>. Accessed May 15, 2010].</p

Baseline characteristics of the study population.

<p>Data are number (%) unless otherwise indicated. OPD: obstructive pulmonary disease.</p>1<p>Drug use at index date.</p>2<p>Drug use at index date, or within six months prior to index date.</p>3<p>Use of systemic corticosteroids with a duration of 90 days or more.</p>4<p>Use of any of the following drugs: β-adrenoreceptor blockers, calcium channel antagonists, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, diuretics, angiotensin-II receptor blockers, nitrates, platelet aggregation inhibitors, and statins, within six months prior to index date.</p>5<p>Use of anti-diabetics within six months prior to index date.</p>6<p>Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs and non-antiarrhythmic drugs with (possible) risk of QT prolongation (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0065638#pone.0065638.s001" target="_blank">Table S1</a>).</p

Obstructive pulmonary disease and the risk of sudden cardiac arrest stratified by age group, sex and cardiovascular risk profile¹.

<p>Data are number (%). CI: confidence interval, CVD: cardiovascular disease, N: number, n/a: not applicable, OPD: obstructive pulmonary disease, OR: odds ratio.</p>1<p>Use of β- adrenoreceptor blockers, calcium channel antagonists, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, diuretics, angiotensin-II receptor blockers, nitrates, platelet aggregation inhibitors, and/or statins within six months prior to index date.</p>2<p>Adjusted for cardiovascular risk profile.</p>3<p>Interaction on a multiplicative scale: OR 1.1 (0.7–1.6), on an additive scale: synergy index 1.4 (0.7–2.6).</p

Determinants of risk of sudden cardiac arrest.

<p>CI: confidence interval, OR: odds ratio.</p>1<p>Adjusted for all potential confounders.</p>2<p>Adjusted for all covariates that were univariately associated with sudden cardiac arrest.</p>3<p>Adjusted for all covariates that were univariately associated with sudden cardiac arrest and changed the beta with at least 5%.</p>4<p>Use of any of the following drugs: β-adrenoreceptor blockers, calcium channel antagonists, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, diuretics, angiotensin-II receptor blockers, nitrates, platelet aggregation inhibitors, and/or statins, within six months prior to index date.</p>5<p>Use of anti-diabetics within six months prior to index date.</p>6<p>Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs and non-antiarrhythmic drugs with (possible) risk of QT prolongation. (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0065638#pone.0065638.s001" target="_blank">Table S1</a>).</p