New Risk Factor of Heart Disease Identified

New Risk Factor of Heart Disease Identified

Older individuals, who typically fall into a group at a low-risk for heart disease, based on diet, exercise and general health factors, may still be at a greater risk than previously thought. The new concerns, associated with heart rate turbulence, are based on a study published in the February 15th issue of the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology.

Funding for the study came from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), which is a part of the National Institutes of Health.

Traditional risk factors for heart disease death include age, gender, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and smoking. In the study, 1272 participants who were age 65 or older were evaluated over an average period of 14 years. Those considered at low risk, but who had abnormal heart rate turbulence values, were on average 8 to 9 times more likely to still die of heart disease.

According to the NIH, Heart rate turbulence refers to how smoothly the heart rate returns to normal after a premature ventricular contraction, a fairly common event in which the second portion of a heart beat is triggered too soon. Due to the improper timing between the atrial and ventricular contractions, the ventricles haven’t fully filled with blood and therefore do not push out enough blood to the body. The brain detects this sub-optimal release of blood and instantly increases the heart rate to pump more blood. However, this overcompensation raises blood pressure, causing the brain to react again and lower the heart rate until blood pressure returns to normal.

In a statement, Susan B. Shurin, M.D., acting director of the NHLBI, said, “These findings suggest that apparently healthy people might be at increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and heart rate turbulence may help us identify them.”