Prevalence and association of ventricular tachycardia and complex ventricular arrhythmias with new coronary events in older men and women with and without cardiovascular disease.
BACKGROUND
We report the prevalence of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and of complex ventricular arrhythmias (VA) and their association with new coronary events in older men and women.


METHODS
The prevalence of VT and of complex VA detected by 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiograms and the incidence of new coronary events in older persons with coronary artery disease (CAD), with hypertension, valvular disease, or cardiomyopathy without CAD, and with no cardiovascular disease was investigated in 915 men (mean age 80 +/- 8 years) and in 1,874 women (mean age 81 +/- 8 years) in a long-term health care facility. Follow-up was 45 +/- 30 months in men and 47 +/- 30 months in women.


RESULTS
The prevalence of VT was 16% in men and 15% in women with CAD, 9% in men and 8% in women with hypertension, valvular disease, or cardiomyopathy without CAD, and 3% in men and 2% in women with no cardiovascular disease. The prevalence of complex VA was 69% in men and 68% in women with CAD, 54% in men and 55% in women with hypertension, valvular disease, or cardiomyopathy without CAD, and 31% in men and 30% in women with no cardiovascular disease. In men and in women with CAD or with hypertension, valvular disease, or cardiomyopathy, VT and complex VA increased the incidence of new coronary events (p <.0001). Within each of the groups of patients, the incidences of new coronary events in men and in women with and without VT or complex VA were similar.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of VT and of complex VA were similar in older men and women. VT and complex VA were associated with a higher incidence of new coronary events in men and women with CAD or with hypertension, valvular disease, or cardiomyopathy without CAD, but not in men and women with no cardiovascular disease.
Aronow
Wilbert S
WS
Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York 10804, USA. WSAronow@aol.com
Ahn
Chul
C
Mercando
Anthony D
AD
Epstein
Stanley
S
Kronzon
Itzhak
I
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000150:complications; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*