Heart rate is a good predictor of sudden cardiac death, study shows

doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7500.1105-a

BMJ 2005;330:1105 (14 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7500.1105-a

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Heart rate is a good predictor of sudden cardiac death, study shows

New York Scott Gottlieb

The profile of a person�s heart rate, as shown by an exercise electrocardiogram, is a good predictor of sudden death from myocardial infarction, a new study says.

This is even the case in asymptomatic men with no history of heart disease, and the profile could provide a clinical measure that may allow for early identification of patients at high risk of such a death and raises the possibility of primary prevention, the report says (New England Journal of Medicine 2005;352:1951-8).

A balance between sympathetic and vagus nerve activity mediates changes in heart rate during exercise and after recovery from exercise. Because alterations in the neural control of cardiac function contribute to the risk of sudden death, a team of researchers led by Dr Xavier Jouven of the cardiology service of the H�pital Europ�en Georges Pompidou, Paris, and colleagues looked at whether sudden death from myocardial . . . [Full text of this article]

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Is "prevention" worth it? Informing healthy men of comparatively high longterm risk of cardiac sudden death very questionable tactic.: Anne Peticolas
bmj.com, 13 May 2005 [Full text]
Simple Public Health Strategy for Prevention of Sudden Death due to Myocardial Infarction: Suet-Ting Lau
bmj.com, 14 May 2005 [Full text]
Re: Is "prevention" worth it? Informing healthy men of comparatively high longterm risk of cardiac sudden death very questionable tactic.: JohnLeo Zimmer
bmj.com, 14 May 2005 [Full text]