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Heart rate as a treatable cardiovascular risk factor
1Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada H1T 1C8. jean-claude.tardif@icm-mhi.org
British Medical Bulletin
|May 29, 2009
Summary
Elevated resting heart rate (HR) is a significant cardiovascular risk factor. Lowering HR with treatments like ivabradine can improve outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease, highlighting HR management
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Epidemiological studies link resting heart rate (HR) to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
- Elevated HR is often an overlooked cardiovascular risk factor despite its established associations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review published studies on the relationship between elevated HR and cardiovascular risk.
- To assess the impact of HR reduction on cardiovascular prognosis.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of existing epidemiological and clinical studies.
- Analysis of data from studies investigating HR-reducing agents like ivabradine.
Main Results:
- High resting HR is a strong independent predictor of mortality across diverse populations.
- Experimental and clinical data support HR's role in atherosclerosis and plaque instability.
- Ivabradine, a selective HR-reducing agent, demonstrated improved coronary outcomes in patients with elevated HR.
Conclusions:
- HR reduction is crucial in managing stable coronary artery disease.
- Elevated resting HR (≥70 bpm) independently predicts adverse clinical outcomes.
- Targeting HR offers a therapeutic strategy to improve prognosis in cardiovascular patients.
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