title: Heart rate and B-blockade in stable coronary artery disease in Greece.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Heart rate (HR) is a strong prognostic indicator in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, there is only limited evidence on HR and the use of b-blockers in patients with CAD in contemporary clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  CLARIFY is an international, prospective, observational, longitudinal registry of outpatients with stable CAD, defined as prior myocardial infarction or revascularization procedure, evidence of coronary stenosis >50%, or chest pain associated with proven myocardial ischemia. A total of 33,283 patients from 45 countries were enrolled between November 2009 and July 2010; of these, 559 patients were enrolled in Greece (age 62.3 ± 10.6 years, 84.44% men).
  
  
  RESULTS
  HR measured by pulse was 68.3 ± 10.2 bpm and by electrocardiogram 67.6 ± 10.9, with an excellent correlation (r=0.91, p<0.001). Overall, 42.8% had HR70 bpm. B-blockers were prescribed in 74.2% of patients. Resting HR by pulse on b-blocker was 67.8 bpm and without b-blocker 69.6 bpm (p=0.069). HR70 bpm was independently associated with a lack of physical activity, higher systolic blood pressure, and a higher prevalence of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and carotid artery disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the use of HR lowering agents, the percentage of patients with HR70 bpm was high. It is likely that we can further improve HR control in Greek patients with stable CAD by both increasing the prescription of b-blockers and up-titrating their dose, as well as by using and up-titrating other available HR lowering agents.
authors: Second Division of Interventional Cardiology, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece.
authors: Eftihia
authors: E
authors: Sbarouni
authors: Vassilis
authors: V
authors: Voudris
authors: Panagiota
authors: P
authors: Georgiadou
authors: Michalis
authors: M
authors: Hamilos
authors: Gabriel
authors: G
authors: Steg
authors: Kim M
authors: KM
authors: Fox
authors: Nicola
authors: N
authors: Greenlaw
authors: Panos E
authors: PE
authors: Vardas
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000368:Aged; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists