Symptomatic and asymptomatic left-ventricular systolic dysfunction in an urban population

Lancet. 1997 Sep 20;350(9081):829-33. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(97)03033-X.

Abstract

Background: In most previous epidemiological studies on the prevalence of chronic heart failure (CHF) the disorder has been defined on clinical criteria. In a cross-sectional survey of 2000 men and women aged 25-74, randomly sampled from one geographical area, we assessed left-ventricular systolic function by echocardiography.

Methods: 1640 (83%) of those invited took part. They completed a questionnaire on current medication, history, and symptoms of breathlessness. Blood pressure was measured and electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography were done. Left-ventricular ejection fraction was measurable in 1467 (89.5%) participants by the biplane Simpson's rate method.

Findings: The mean left-ventricular ejection fraction was 47.3%. The prevalence of definite left-ventricular systolic dysfunction (defined as a left-ventricular ejection fraction < or = 30%) was 2.9% overall (43 participants); it increased with age and was higher in men than in women (4.0 vs 2.0%). The left-ventricular systolic dysfunction was symptomatic in 1.5% of participants and asymptomatic in 1.4%, 83% of participants with left-ventricular systolic dysfunction had evidence of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) from history or ECG criteria compared with 21% of those without this abnormality (p < 0.001). Hypertension was also more common in those with left-ventricular systolic dysfunction (72 vs 38%, p < 0.001), but there was no difference between those with and without left-ventricular systolic dysfunction in the rate of hypertension without IHD.

Interpretation: Left-ventricular systolic dysfunction was at least twice as common as symptomatic heart failure defined by clinical criteria. The main risk factors are IHD and hypertension in the presence of IHD; screening of such high-risk groups for left-ventricular systolic dysfunction should be considered.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Echocardiography
  • Electrocardiography
  • Female
  • Heart Failure / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myocardial Ischemia / epidemiology
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Sampling Studies
  • Scotland / epidemiology
  • Stroke Volume
  • Urban Population
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / diagnostic imaging
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / epidemiology*