Prevalence of asymptomatic electrocardiographic abnormalities in a rural population

To determine the prevalence of various electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities among asymptomatic individuals in a rural population of India we performed a 12-lead ECG during a comprehensive cardiovascular survey in three randomly selected villages in Rajasthan. Twenty four of 3148 individuals with a past diagnosis or symptoms suggestive of coronary heart disease (CHD) were excluded. ECG of 3124 persons (males 1965, females 1159) were analysed and classified according to the WHO-Minnesota Code. The prevalence rate/1000 of Q-waves was 8.6 (males 8.7, females 8.6) and ST-T wave changes was 17.0 (males 12.7, females 24.2). An age-related increase in prevalence of Q-waves was seen (X2 for trend p < 0.01). The Q wave prevalence was similar among males and females but ST-T changes were more frequent in females (p = 0.0016). Other prevalent findings were left ventricular hypertrophy in 8.3, right or left bundle branch block pattern in 18.6, left or right axis deviation in 10.6, atrioventricular conduction defects in 10.2 and ventricular arrhythmia in 1.3/1000 population.