[ProCor: an extramural screening on heart rate reduction in patients with chronic stable angina pectoris in Austria]

Based on the evidence from large clinical and epidemiological studies indicating an independent prognostic role of heart rate in cardiovascular disease, the assessment and correction of elevated heart rate is of significant prognostic relevance. In the present study conducted with the support of 74 specialists of Internal Medicine in 2009 in Austria, heart rate in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and chronic stable angina pectoris was evaluated in relation to pre-existing and concomitant diseases, angina-severity (CCS), angina-symptoms and treatment. For all variables, descriptive statistical analyses were performed according to three predefined groups with heart rates <60 bpm (HR-1), 60-70 bpm (HR-2), and >70 bpm (HR-3). Of the 1280 patients 21.8% had a heart rate of <60 bpm, 39.6% of 60-70 bpm, and 38.5% of >70 bpm. A significant association was shown between elevated heart rate and concomitant disease, e.g., peripheral artery disease (p = 0.046), psoriasis (p = 0.029), previous acute coronary syndrome (p = 0.001), COPD (p < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.004), and depression (p < 0.001). CCS-severity was correlated with heart rates (mean values; CCS-0: 66.8 bpm, CCS-IV: 77.5 bpm). Angina-pectoris (AP) symptoms were more common in patients with heart rates of >70 bpm (HR-3: 1,2 AP-events/week; HR-2: 1 AP-events/week; HR-1: 0,7 AP events/week; each time p < 0.001). The majority of patients were treated with betablockers (74%); yet, the average dose was approximately half the maximal recommended dose. Despite inadequate heart rate reduction in patients on betablockers, selective heart rate lowering agents such as ivabradine were used in only 1.6% of patients. Overall, these results illustrate that heart rate as an important therapeutic target in CHD-patients with chronic stable angina is still underestimated in contemporary clinical practice.