Association of average heart rate on 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiograms with incidence of new coronary events at 48-month follow-up in 1,311 patients (mean age 81 years) with heart disease and sinus rhythm

The present prospective study performed in 1,311 men and women aged ≥60 years (mean age 81) with heart disease and sinus rhythm showed that male sex, increasing age, and 24-hour average heart rate were independent risk factors for new coronary events. There was a 1.14 times higher probability of developing new coronary events for an increment of 5 beats/min of heart rate after controlling the confounding effect of other risk factors.