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Resting heart rate in apparently healthy middle-aged men

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European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Resting heart rate (fcrest) was measured by a standardized technique in 2,014 men aged 40–59 years during a cardiovascular survey. All men were thought to be healthy prior to the survey examination. According to the survey findings, the material was subdivided into 5 clinical subgroups, according to survey findings of coronary heart disease (CHD), or suspect symptoms, or signs. Coronary angiography was performed in 105 subjects with particularly strong suspicions of CHD. Fcrest varied between 61–63 among the 5 groups (p>0.10). In 1832/2014 defined as “normals” the following findings were made:

  1. 1.

    Mean fcrest 61 (SD 9.7), and almost identical values obtained by auscultation and from resting ECGs in the same persons.

  2. 2.

    Linear drop in fcrest by age (−0.126 beats/year, p<0.001).

  3. 3.

    Increase in fcrest with increasing systolic blood pressure.

Since there is no generally accepted technique for measuring fcrest it is suggested that the wide variation in fcrest reported in the literature at least in part may be due to differences in techniques.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Med. Dept. B, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway

    Jan Erikssen

  2. Institute of Work Physiology, Norwegian College of Physical Education, Oslo, Norway

    Kaare Rodahl

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  1. Jan Erikssen
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  2. Kaare Rodahl
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Erikssen, J., Rodahl, K. Resting heart rate in apparently healthy middle-aged men. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 42, 61–69 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421105

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421105

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