ABSTRACT
To explore the clinical features and common complications of fast resting heart rate (RHR) in hypertensionpatients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the entire rest electrocardiogram data of Qingdao study 2000 and Xinyang study2005 in community population elder than 18 years including hypertension patients and non-hypertension subjects. Clinical complications as diabetes, coronary artery disease, hyperlipidemia and stroke, laboratory findings, RHR in ECG, body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio and office blood pressure were collected in all participants. Results: A total of 18183 participants were enrolled including 61.6% male, the average age was (45.2±12.7) years including 6763 hypertension patients. Compared with normal BP subjects, hypertension patients had the faster RHR (73.5±11.6) times/min vs (70.6±9.6) times/min, P<0.001 and more hypertension patients combining fast RHR (14.5% vs 6.4%), P<0.001. In hypertension patients, compared with normal RHR patients, fast RHR patients had the elder age (53.9±12.2) years vs (51.8±11.2) years, lower BMI (25.8±3.6) kg/m2 vs (26.4±3.4) kg/m2 and higher ratio of grade 3 hypertension (68.2%vs 59.0%), all P<0.001; higher levels of fasting blood glucose (6.0±2.4) mmol/L vs (5.6±1.5) mmol/L and triglyceride (2.0±1.8) mmol/L vs (1.7±1.3) mmol/L, both P<0.001, higher LDL-C (3.2±0.9) mmol/L vs (3.1±0.8) mmol/L, P=0.001;more patients with diabetes (6.6% vs 3.9%), P=0.007 and stroke (11.1% vs 8.3%), P=0.005. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that with adjusted traditional risk factors, fast RHR was positively related to stroke occurrence in hypertension patients (OR=1.306, 95% CI 1.021-1.671). Conclusion: Fast RHR happened more in hypertension patients than in normal BP subjects; it had the increased risk for stroke occurrence in hypertension patients.