CONTROL OF RESTING HEART RATE AND OTHER RISK FACTORS OVER A THREE-YEAR PERIOD IN OUTPATIENTS WITH STABLE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE IN LATVIA

The aim of the study was to evaluate control of heart rate (hr) and other risk factors (rf) over a three-year period in coronary artery disease (cad) outpatients in latvia. patients (n = 120) were examined and questioned at baseline time and annually (four times in total). increased resting hr (≥70 bpm) when measured by palpation was present in 35.8% of cases at baseline time, 35.6%, 29.8% and 35.1% of cases at y1, y2 and y3, respectively; when measured by electrocardiography: in 33.6% (baseline), 36.8% (y1), 26.7% (y2), 33.7% (y3) of cases. the proportion of patients with increased hr did not significantly change in y1–y3 vs baseline. systolic blood pressure was lower in y1 and y3 vs baseline (p = 0.005 and p = 0.003, respectively). the proportion of patients with increased blood pressure (≥140/90 mmhg) was lower in y1, y2 and y3 than at baseline (p = 0.018, p = 0.030 and p = 0.017, respectively). the proportion of patients with a decreased level of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (<1.2 mmol/l for women and <1.0 mmol/l fom men) was lower in y1–y3 compared to baseline (p < 0.001). a substantial (about one-third) and stable proportion of patients with increased hr ≥ 70 bpm over the three-year period in the examined sample of treated cad patients indicates that there is a need for better control of this rf.