Differences in Electrocardiography Findings Between the Healthy Elderly and Young Adults

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The elderly is known to have physiologic electrocardiographic changes with aging. But in Korea, such study is rare. METHODS: We investigated the residents in a community about past history of disease and current medications. Also we checked electrocardiography for those who were thought to be healthy. RESULTS: The elderly( > OR =60 year old) were 66 persons, and the young adults(<40 year old) were 8 persons. Mean QRS axis in the elderly was 37.7", and it was significantly deviated to the left compared with that(63.8" ) in the young adults(P<0.05). Mean T amplitudude of V6 in the elderly was 3.47mm, and it was to some degree shorter than that(4.81mm) in the young adults(P=0.063). But pulse rate, PR interval, QRS duration, amplitudude of Rl, R6, S1 were not different between the elderly and the young adults. CONCLUSIONS: Mean QRS axis in the elderly was significantly deviated to the left compared with in the young adults. And the mean T amplitude of V6 in the elderly was to some degree shorter than in the young adults.