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.