Studies reveal that being slim is not an advantage when it comes to the risk of dying suddenly from cardiac causes.

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center found that non-obese heart failure patients, including overweight, normal and underweight patients, had a 76% greater risk of sudden cardiac death compared to obese heart failure patients.

Normal and underweight patients were at a surprising 99% high risk for sudden cardiac death than obese patients.

The findings have been presented at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session in Atlanta.

The study conducted by researchers from one of the world's leading groups on sudden cardiac death, is the first to evaluate the relation between BMI (body mass index) and the risk of sudden cardiac death.

Ilan Goldenberg, M. D., Research Associate Professor of Medicine in the Cardiology Division, said that this study is important since it not only answers questions concerning the risk of sudden cardiac death in different types of heart failure patients, but tosses many new questions that need to be investigated.

“Why do obese heart failure patients see a risk advantage? Why do normal weight patients have a considerably different risk profile than those who are slightly overweight? These are important questions that may have treatment implications in the future”.

Researchers found that decreased BMI was linked with a great increase in the risk of sudden cardiac death.