The relationship between resting heart rate and all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality

Abstract

AIMS: The association between resting heart rate and changes in heart rate with all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality was studied among 1827 men and 2929 women, aged 40-80 years, followed for 12 years. METHODS AND RESULTS: After adjustment for initial age, serum cholesterol, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, smoking and diabetes, the all-cause mortality hazard ratio was 1\middle dot\7 (95% confidence interval 1\middle dot\4-2\middle dot\2) for heart rate increments of 20 beats.min-1 for men and 1\middle dot\4 (confidence interval 1\middle dot\1-1\middle dot\8) for women. For cardiovascular mortality, the risk estimates were 1\middle dot\7 (confidence interval 1\middle dot\2-2\middle dot\6) for men and 1\middle dot\3 (confidence interval 0\middle dot\9-2\middle dot\0) for women. We observed no significant association between heart rate and cancer mortality. For women, stronger predictive information for all-cause mortality was provided if changes in heart rate were evident at the 2-year review. CONCLUSION: The resting heart rate is a predictor of mortality, independent of major cardiovascular risk factors.