Cardio Electrical Malfunction

[Guest guest]

Hi folks:

For those who believe they are unlikely to suffer problems related to

clogged arteries, next down the list of cardio problems seems to be

electrical malfunctions. The following paper sheds some light on

this:

" CONTEXT: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is responsible for considerable

morbidity and mortality, making identification of modifiable risk

factors a priority. Increased pulse pressure, a reflection of aortic

stiffness, increases cardiac load and may increase AF risk.

OBJECTIVE: To examine relations between pulse pressure and incident

AF. "

" Cumulative 20-year AF incidence rates were 5.6% for pulse pressure

of 40 mm Hg or less (25th percentile) and 23.3% for pulse pressure

greater than 61 mm Hg (75th percentile). "

Even ........ " In models adjusted for age, sex, baseline and time-

dependent change in mean arterial pressure, and clinical risk factors

for AF (body mass index, smoking, valvular disease, diabetes,

electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy, hypertension

treatment, and prevalent myocardial infarction or heart failure),

pulse pressure was associated with increased risk for AF (adjusted

hazard ratio

---

, 1.26 per 20-mm Hg increment. "

" In contrast, mean arterial pressure was unrelated to incident

AF ...; Systolic pressure was related to AF ...; however, if

diastolic pressure was added, model fit improved ***and the diastolic

relation was inverse*** ............ consistent with a pulse

pressure effect. "

PMID: 17312290

Rodney.