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Published on: February 7, 2014
Irregular Pulse and Cardiovascular Disease From NHANES (1999-2018): A Cross-Sectional Study
Qingping Zeng1, Weihong Chang1, Rui Zhang1
1Department of Cardiology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine Tsinghua University Beijing China.
Insights
An irregular pulse is linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. This finding emphasizes the importance of monitoring pulse regularity for CVD screening and risk management.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Irregular pulse is an easily detectable sign during routine health check-ups.
- Large-scale population data on the association between irregular pulse, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and mortality has been limited.
- Investigating irregular pulse as a potential CVD screening indicator is crucial for public health policy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between irregular pulse and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD).
- To examine the relationship between irregular pulse and all-cause and CVD-specific mortality.
- To explore the utility of irregular pulse as a screening tool for CVD and mortality risk.
Main Methods:
- A large cohort study utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2018.
- Inclusion of 49,681 adult participants with valid self-reported CVD and pulse characteristic data.
- Linkage with mortality data up to 2019 to assess all-cause and CVD mortality outcomes.
Main Results:
- Participants with an irregular pulse showed a significantly increased risk of CVD (OR 1.34, 95% CI [1.14, 1.58]), including heart failure (OR 1.75, 95% CI [1.37, 2.24]) and coronary heart disease (OR 1.27, 95% CI [1.01, 1.60]).
- An irregular pulse was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR 1.29, 95% CI [1.17, 1.42]) and CVD mortality (HR 1.53, 95% CI [1.30, 1.81]).
- Statistical significance was observed for all-cause mortality (p < 0.001) and CVD mortality (p < 0.001) in the irregular pulse group.
Conclusions:
- Irregular pulse is significantly associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease and mortality.
- These findings underscore the importance of irregular pulse detection in cardiovascular risk assessment.
- Regular health screening and proactive risk management for individuals with irregular pulse are recommended.
Background And Aims:
Pulse is an easily accessible life sign, while irregular pulse could be easily detected in daily life during blood pressure test. However, whether irregular pulse was associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) or mortality has not been reported on a large population scale. Here, we investigated the association between irregular pulse, CVD, and CVD mortality, to explore the potential of irregular pulse as screening indicator for CVD and mortality, thus influencing health policy.
Methods:
This cohort study used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 1999 through 2018 and linked mortality information until 2019. Eligible participants were adults with valid records of self-report CVD and pulse characteristics.
Results:
We included data from 49,681 participants in the analysis. Compared with regular pulse group, irregular pulse group demonstrated an increased risk of CVD (1.34, [1.14, 1.58]), especially heart failure (1.75, [1.37, 2.24]) and coronary heart disease (1.27, [1.01, 1.60]). Irregular pulse group showed an increased risk for all-cause mortality (HR 1.29, [95% CI, 1.17-1.42]) and CVD mortality (HR 1.53, [95% CI, 1.30-1.81]) compared with regular pulse group. The findings suggest that irregular pulse was associated with CVD and mortality. Participants with irregular pulse were associated with a significantly increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR 1.29, 95% CI [1.17, 1.42], p < 0.001), and CVD mortality (HR 1.53, [1.30, 1.81], p < 0.001).
Conclusion:
Our study found that people with irregular pulse have a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular disease mortality than people with regular pulse. These findings highlight the importance of health screening and risk management for people with irregular pulse.
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