Electrocardiographic abnormalities in patients with heart failure
Kamilu M Karaye1, Mahmoud U Sani
1Department of Medicine, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria. kkaraye@yahoo.co.uk
Insights
Most heart failure patients in Kano, Nigeria, exhibit abnormal electrocardiograms (ECGs). Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is the most frequent ECG abnormality observed in these patients, regardless of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Heart failure (HF) impacts patients differently based on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities are significant factors influencing HF outcomes.
- Distinct ECG patterns may exist between HF with reduced LVEF and HF with preserved LVEF.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and compare ECG abnormalities in heart failure patients.
- To analyze differences in ECG findings between reduced LVEF and preserved LVEF groups.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study conducted in Kano, Nigeria (April 2005 - June 2006).
- Analysis of resting electrocardiograms (ECGs) from 113 heart failure patients (aged ≥15 years).
- Patients were referred for echocardiography.
Main Results:
- Nearly all patients (98.2%) presented with abnormal ECGs.
- Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was the most prevalent abnormality (77.5% in reduced LVEF vs. 50% in preserved LVEF).
- Atrial fibrillation and prolonged corrected QT interval were also observed, with no significant difference between LVEF groups.
Conclusions:
- The majority of heart failure patients in this Nigerian cohort have abnormal ECGs.
- Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is the predominant ECG abnormality in heart failure patients.
- ECG findings warrant attention in managing heart failure patients with varying LVEF.
Background:
The morbidity and mortality from heart failure (HF) differ between patients with reduced (< 50%) and with preserved ( >or= 50%) left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) on account of many factors, including abnormalities detected in the electrocardiogram (ECG). The aim of this study was to determine and compare the ECG abnormalities between HF patients with reduced and with preserved LVEF.
Methods:
The study was cross-sectional in design and carried out in Aminu Kano teaching hospital and Murtala Mohammed specialist hospital, Kano, Nigeria, from April 2005 to June 2006. We studied the resting electrocardiograms of all HF patients aged 15 years and older who were referred to the two centres for echocardiography.
Results:
A total of 113 patients were studied and 98.2% of them had abnormal ECGs. Forty-two patients (37.2%) had preserved LVEF while the remaining 71 (62.8%) had reduced LVEF. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was the commonest ECG abnormality, found among 55 patients (77.5%) with reduced LVEF, and 21 patients (50%) with preserved LVEF (p = 0.0026). The commonest arrhythmia was atrial fibrillation, found among 10 patients (14.1%) with reduced LVEF and eight patients (19.1%) with preserved LVEF (p = 0.486). Prolonged corrected QT interval was found among 30 (71.4%) and 56 patients (78.9%) with preserved and reduced LVEF, respectively (p 5 0.370).
Conclusion:
Most of the patients with heart failure studied in Kano, Nigeria had abnormal electrocardiograms, and the most common abnormality was LVH.
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