1. Postural blood pressure electrocardiographic changes are associated with falls in older people
- Author
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Nor Izzati Saedon, Hui Min Khor, Kit Mun Tan, P J H Poi, Shahrul K. Kamaruzzaman, Maw Pin Tan, Kok Han Chee, Imran Zainal-Abidin, and Ai-Vyrn Chin
- Subjects
Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Supine position ,Posture ,Poison control ,Blood Pressure ,030204 cardiovascular system & hematology ,Dizziness ,Syncope ,03 medical and health sciences ,Electrocardiography ,Hypotension, Orthostatic ,0302 clinical medicine ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Humans ,PR interval ,Aged ,Presyncope ,medicine.diagnostic_test ,Endocrine and Autonomic Systems ,business.industry ,Odds ratio ,medicine.disease ,Confidence interval ,Blood pressure ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,Cardiology ,Physical therapy ,Accidental Falls ,Female ,Neurology (clinical) ,business ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery - Abstract
To determine the magnitude of postural blood pressure change, differences in ECG between fallers and non-fallers were measured. Postural blood pressure change is associated with symptoms of dizziness, presyncope, and syncope. In this cross-sectional study were included participants from The Malaysian Falls Assessment and Intervention Trial: fallers, aged 65 years or older with two or more falls or one injurious fall in 12 months, from a teaching hospital; and non-fallers, aged 65 years and older found through word-of-mouth and advertising. Noninvasive beat-to-beat blood pressure was measured at 10 min supine rest and 3 min standing. The maximal drop in systolic and diastolic pressure was calculated from a 12-lead ECG interpreted by a cardiologist. Basic demographics, medical history, and symptoms of dizziness, presyncope, and syncope were recorded for all patients. We recruited 155 fallers and 112 non-fallers. Fallers had a significantly longer PR interval (179 ± 32 vs. 168 ± 27 ms, p = 0.013) and a longer corrected QT interval (449 ± 41 vs. 443 ± 39 msec, p = 0.008), and larger change in SBP (28 ± 14 vs. 19 ± 9 mmHg, p
- Published
- 2015