Impact of Functional Class of Heart Failure on Severity of Ventricular Arrhythmia

ABSTRACT

To study the impact offunctional class of heart failure [NYHA] on the severity of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with heart failurebased upon 48 hours ambulatory ECG [Holter] recordings. Descriptive cross sectional study. Study was conducted at Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology/Nationallnstitute of Heart Diseases, from April2013 to August 2013. A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted at Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology/National Institute of Heart Diseases, from April 2013 to August 2013. In 53 heart failure patients' detailed history and 2 dimensional echocardiography were recordedto assess the functional class and left ventricular ejection fraction. Patients were then subjected to 48-hour Holter monitoring using ambulatory [Holter] electrocardiography recorders. Digital ECG data was acquired and manually edited. Arrhythmias were analyzed for frequency, type and severity. Statistical analysis was done to determine associations between arrhythmia severity and NYHA class of heart failure. Male female ratio was 3.4 1with mean age of 60 years. Mean ejection fraction was 21.69% and 86% patients had NYHAclass Ill and IV. 57% of these patients also had severe cardiac arrhythmias. Prevalence and severity of arrhythmias in heart failure is dependent upon degree of ventricular dysfunction and presenting NYHA functional class.There is a significantly higher prevalence of severe ventriculararrhythmias amongst patients with reduced ejection fraction and advanced NYHA functional class