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Long-term cardiovascular risks associated with an elevated heart rate: the Framingham Heart Study
Jennifer E Ho1, Martin G Larson, Anahita Ghorbani
1Framingham Heart Study of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Framingham, MA.
Journal of the American Heart Association
|May 10, 2014
Summary
Higher resting heart rate increases the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease and death. However, elevated heart rate may reduce the need for a permanent pacemaker.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Preventive Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Resting heart rate is a predictor of cardiovascular prognosis, but prior research has limitations.
- Previous studies often focused on patients with existing cardiovascular disease or a narrow range of outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between baseline heart rate and both fatal and nonfatal health outcomes.
- To analyze long-term risks associated with varying heart rates over two decades.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 4058 participants in the Framingham Heart Study.
- Utilized Cox regression models with adjustments for clinical risk factors and physical activity.
Main Results:
- Higher baseline heart rate correlated with increased risk of incident cardiovascular disease (HR 1.15), particularly heart failure (HR 1.32).
- Elevated heart rate was linked to higher all-cause mortality (HR 1.17) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 1.18).
- Conversely, higher heart rate was associated with a reduced risk of requiring a permanent pacemaker (HR 0.55).
Conclusions:
- Elevated resting heart rate signifies an increased long-term risk for cardiovascular events, especially heart failure, and overall mortality.
- A higher heart rate is paradoxically associated with a decreased likelihood of needing a permanent pacemaker.