OBJECTIVE: Knowing the proportion the proportion of normal and abnormal electrocardiograms (ECGs) in primary care patients allows us to estimate the proportion of exams that can be analyzed by the general practitioner with minimal training in ECG interpretation, in addition to being epidemiologically relevant. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of normal ECGs in primary care patients. METHODS: All digital ECGs analyzed by the cardiologists of Telehealth Network of Minas Gerais (TNMG) in 2011 were evaluated. TNMG is a public telehealth service that provides support to primary care professionals in 662 municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. RESULTS: During the study period, 290,795 ECGs were analyzed (mean age 51 ± 19 years), 57.6% were normal. This proportion was higher in women (60.1 vs 57.6%, p <0.001) and lower in patients with hypertension (45.8% vs 63.2%, p <0.001) or diabetes (43.3% vs 63.2%, p <0.001). A progressive reduction in the prevalence of normal ECG with increasing age was observed. Among the ECGs of patients under investigation for chest pain, 58.7% showed no abnormalities. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of normal ECGs in primary care patients is higher than 50% and this proportion decreases with age and comorbidities. Most ECGs performed for investigation of chest pain in primary care shows no abnormality.
OBJECTIVE: Knowing the proportion the proportion of normal and abnormal electrocardiograms (ECGs) in primary care patients allows us to estimate the proportion of exams that can be analyzed by the general practitioner with minimal training in ECG interpretation, in addition to being epidemiologically relevant. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of normal ECGs in primary care patients. METHODS: All digital ECGs analyzed by the cardiologists of Telehealth Network of Minas Gerais (TNMG) in 2011 were evaluated. TNMG is a public telehealth service that provides support to primary care professionals in 662 municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. RESULTS: During the study period, 290,795 ECGs were analyzed (mean age 51 ± 19 years), 57.6% were normal. This proportion was higher in women (60.1 vs 57.6%, p <0.001) and lower in patients with hypertension (45.8% vs 63.2%, p <0.001) or diabetes (43.3% vs 63.2%, p <0.001). A progressive reduction in the prevalence of normal ECG with increasing age was observed. Among the ECGs of patients under investigation for chest pain, 58.7% showed no abnormalities. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of normal ECGs in primary care patients is higher than 50% and this proportion decreases with age and comorbidities. Most ECGs performed for investigation of chest pain in primary care shows no abnormality.
Authors: Maria Carmo P Nunes; Lewis F Buss; Antonio Luiz P Ribeiro; Ester Cerdeira Sabino; Jose Luiz P Silva; Larissa Natany A Martins; Claudia Di Lorenzo Oliveira; Clareci Silva Cardoso; Bruno Oliveira de Figueiredo Brito; Ariela Mota Ferreira; Lea Campos Oliveira; Ana Luiza Bierrenbach; Fabio Fernandes; Michael P Busch; Viviane Tiemi Hotta; Luiz Mario Baptista Martinelli; Maria Carolina F Almeida Soeiro; Adriana Brentegani; Vera M C Salemi; Marcia M Menezes Journal: Circulation Date: 2021-09-27 Impact factor: 29.690
Authors: Alejandro Marcel Hasslocher-Moreno; Sergio Salles Xavier; Roberto Magalhães Saraiva; Luiz Henrique Conde Sangenis; Marcelo Teixeira de Holanda; Henrique Horta Veloso; Andrea Rodrigues da Costa; Fernanda de Souza Nogueira Sardinha Mendes; Pedro Emmanuel Alvarenga Americano do Brasil; Gilberto Marcelo Sperandio da Silva; Mauro Felippe Felix Mediano; Andrea Silvestre de Sousa Journal: Trop Med Infect Dis Date: 2020-05-12