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Prevalence of frequent premature ventricular contractions and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in older women screened for atrial fibrillation in the Women’s Health Initiative
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Prevalence of frequent premature ventricular contractions and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in older women screened for atrial fibrillation in the Women’s Health Initiative

Sofia E. Gomez, Joseph Larson, Mark A. Hlatky, Fatima Rodriguez, Matthew Wheeler, Philip Greenland, Michael LaMonte, Victor Froelicher, Marcia L. Stefanick, Robert Wallace, …
Heart rhythm, Vol.21(8), pp.1280-1288
02/23/2024
DOI: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2024.02.040
PMCID: PMC11338634
PMID: 38403238
url
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11338634/pdf/nihms-1982375.pdfView
Open Access

Abstract

Frequent premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) have been associated with cardiovascular disease and mortality. Their prevalence, especially in ambulatory populations, is under-studied and limited by few female participants and the use of short-duration (24-48 hour) monitoring. Report the prevalence of frequent PVCs and NSVT in a community-based population of women likely to undergo ECG screening using sequential patch monitoring. Participants from the Women’s Health Initiative Strong and Healthy (WHISH) trial with no history of atrial fibrillation (AF) but 5-year predicted risk of incident AF ≥ 5% by CHARGE-AF score were randomly selected to undergo screening with 7-day ECG patch monitors at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Recordings were reviewed for PVCs and NSVT (> 5 beats); data was analyzed using multivariate regression models. There were 1,067 participants who underwent ECG screening at baseline, 866 at 6-months and 777 at 12-months. Frequent PVCs were found on at least one patch from 4.3% of participants and one or more episodes of NSVT was found in 12 (1.1%) women. PVC frequency directly correlated with CHARGE-AF score and NSVT on any patch. Detection of frequent PVCs increased with sequential monitoring. Among postmenopausal women at high risk for AF, frequent PVCs were relatively common (4.3%), and correlated with higher CHARGE-AF score. As strategies for AF screening continue to evolve, particularly in those individuals at high risk of AF, the prevalence of incidental ventricular arrhythmias is an important benchmark to guide clinical decision-making.
atrial fibrillation cardiac monitoring Frequent premature ventricular contractions non-sustained ventricular tachycardia remote monitoring ventricular arrhythmia

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