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Correlation of Resting Heart Rate with the Severity and Complexity of Coronary Artery Disease: A Single-Center
Vahit Demir1, Samet Yılmaz2, Huseyin Ede1
1Department of Cardiology, Yozgat Bozok University, Yozgat, Turkey.
Insights
Elevated resting heart rate (RHR) is linked to more severe coronary artery disease (CAD). This easily measured marker can help assess atherosclerosis complexity and severity in patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Internal Medicine
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD) poses a significant global health burden.
- Assessing the severity and complexity of atherosclerosis is crucial for effective patient management.
- Resting heart rate (RHR) is a readily available physiological parameter.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between resting heart rate (RHR) and the severity and complexity of atherosclerosis in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of clinical and laboratory data from 388 patients undergoing coronary angiography.
- Calculation of SYNTAX and Gensini scores to quantify atherosclerosis severity and complexity.
- Stratification of patients into three groups based on RHR: ≤70 bpm, 70-89 bpm, and ≥90 bpm.
Main Results:
- Patients with RHR ≥90 bpm exhibited significantly higher Gensini and SYNTAX scores compared to lower RHR groups.
- A significant positive correlation was observed between Gensini score and RHR (r=0.725, P<0.001).
- Gensini score also correlated significantly with SYNTAX score (r=0.680, P<0.001), CRP, and inversely with left ventricular ejection fraction.
Conclusions:
- Resting heart rate (RHR) serves as an effective and easily accessible marker for evaluating the severity and complexity of coronary artery disease (CAD).
- Higher RHR is indicative of more advanced atherosclerosis.
- RHR measurement can aid in risk stratification and treatment planning for CAD patients.
Background:
We aimed to explore the association between resting heart rate (RHR) and the severity and complexity of atherosclerosis in coronary artery disease (CAD).
Methods:
Clinical and laboratory data of 388 patients who underwent coronary angiography were evaluated retrospectively. SYNTAX and Gensini scores were calculated based on angiographic findings. These scores which indicate the severity of atherosclerosis was calculated for all the patients. Patients were divided into three main groups according to RHR. Group 1 composed of patients with RHR ≤70 (n = 217), group 2 composed of patients with RHR between 70 and 89 (n = 133), and group 3 composed of patients with RHR ≥90 beats per min (bpm) (n = 38). Gensini and SYNTAX score values of the three study groups were compared. Also, Gensini score was tested for whether it showed a positive correlation with RHR and SYNTAX scores.
Results:
All patients had an average age of 61.3 years, and the mean for RHR was 72 bpm. Mean Gensini score in the general CAD population was 24.4 ± 22.5, and mean SYNTAX score was 13.6 ± 8.1 points. The Gensini and Syntax score values of the group 3 were significantly higher than that of the other two groups (59.8 ± 31.2, P < 0.001 and 26.0 ± 6.5, P < 0.001, respectively). There was a significant correlation with Gensini score and RHR, SYNTAX score, C-reactive protein (CRP), and left ventricular ejection fraction [(r = 0.725, P < 0.001), (r = 0.680, P < 0.001), (r = 0.543, P < 0.001), (r = -0.224, P < 0.001), respectively].
Conclusions:
RHR is an effective easily available marker for the assessment of severity and complexity of CAD.
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