Prevalence and Severity of ECG Anomalies in a Rural Australian Population
Journal Title: Journal of Advances in Medicine and Medical Research - Year 2014, Vol 4, Issue 7
Abstract
Aims: To determine the prevalence and severity of cardiac arrhythmias in a rural Australian population using ECG assessment. Study Design: This is a University-based research project. Comparative design with random samples used. Place and Duration of Study: School of Community Health, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia. Methodology: Five hundred and eight participants with or without a known history of cardiovascular disease were recruited via public media announcements indicating a health screening opportunity carried out at the local university. Their medical history was obtained and a 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) was recorded. ECG recordings were classified into severity and prevalence determined in each category. The number of participants that had to be referred and had follow-up by the general practitioner was determined. Results: Moderate to severe ECG anomalies, which included atrial fibrillation or left bundle branch block were identified in 58 (11.4%) of the participants. Forty (7.9%) individuals with ECG anomalies were referred to the general practitioner for further evaluation. Eight participants did not seek further advice. Twenty-two (68.8%) participants that made an appointment to see their general practitioner were either commenced on treatment, had their treatment changed or received surgery. A further 85 (16.7%) of individuals required regular follow-up in line with their ECG characteristics and other health information, presenting with non-clinical ECG changes that had the potential for adverse health outcomes in the future including long QT interval, right bundle branch block or left ventricular hypertrophy for instance. Conclusion: Our study has demonstrated that a substantial number of patients in this rural community have both ECG abnormalities and or cardiac arrhythmias that required regular review or commencement of treatment by their doctor.
Authors and Affiliations
Herbert F. Jelinek, Lexin Wang, Paul Warner, Hayder Al-Aubaidy
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP348954
- DOI 10.9734/BJMMR/2014/4047
- Views 52
- Downloads 0
Functional Assessment in Greek Tension-Type Headache Sufferers: Validity, Reliability, Responsiveness and Psychometrics of the Migraine Disability Assessment Questionnaire (MIDAS)
Introduction: Functional assessment in painful musculoskeletal disorders such as tension-type headache requires valid, reliable and sensitive instruments. MIDAS (Migraine Disability Assessment questionnaire) is an intern...
A Review of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus
Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal discomfort, chronic abdominal pain, dysphagia, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation are more common in patients with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) than in the gener...
Identification of Candidate Biomarkers and Cancer Genes AHNAK2 and EPPK1 in Pancreatic Cancer
Aims: The lack of specific symptoms at early tumor stages, together with a high biological aggressiveness of the tumor contribute to the high mortality rate for pancreatic cancer (PC). Improved screening for earlier diag...
Ultrastructure of Teleost Retina II: Interstitial Amacrines, Dislocated Amacrines, Ganglion Cells, Müller Fiber, Oligodendroglia, Adrenergic Terminals, Inner Plexiform Layer, Glycogen Cytochemistry
Aims: To analyze the ultrastructure of internal interstitial amacrine cell, dislocated amacrine cell, ganglion cells, oligodendroglia, Müller cells, inner plexiform layer, adrenergic terminals, as well as the connections...
An Unusual Case of Extra-oral Pyogenic Granuloma
Pyogenic granuloma is a moderately common, benign mucocutaneous lesion. It is a tumor-like proliferation to a non specific infection. It is non-neoplastic in nature and presents in different clinical and histological for...