Relationship between premature ventricular complexes and stroke mortality in the general population

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Neurology
• Public Health

Background:

• Identifying predictors of stroke mortality is crucial for targeted interventions and improved patient care.
• While premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) are linked to ischemic stroke, their association with fatal stroke remains unstudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between PVCs and stroke mortality.
• To determine if this association is modified by the presence of coronary heart disease (CHD).

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 8047 participants from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey without a prior stroke history.
• PVCs detected via 12-lead electrocardiograms; stroke mortality identified through the National Death Index.
• Cox proportional hazard analysis used to assess the relationship between PVCs and stroke mortality.

Main Results:

• Approximately 2.1% of participants had PVCs at baseline.
• Over 22 years, 337 fatal strokes occurred.
• PVCs were associated with a 2.5-fold increased risk of stroke mortality (HR: 2.50 [1.15-5.43]).
• The association was significantly stronger in participants with CHD (HR: 5.98 [2.2-16.2]) compared to those without (HR: 1.97 [0.75-5.1]).

Conclusions:

• Premature ventricular complexes are linked to increased stroke mortality.
• This association is particularly pronounced in individuals with co-existing coronary heart disease.
• Further research is needed to explore interventions for modifying PVCs or improving care to alter outcomes.