Abstract
Objective: To determine factors that bring about ST-T changes after 10 years in subjects with high voltages in their resting electrocardiogram (ECG) initially, we examined the contribution of blood pressure (BP), serum lipids and fasting plasma glucose (FPG).
Methods: The subjects were 194 male health check-up examinees (51 ± 7 years old) who visited our hospital in both 2000 or 2001 and 2010 or 2011, in whom high voltages had been observed in the resting ECG in 2000 or 2001. They were divided into 3 groups according to their ECG findings after 10 years: those with newly detected ST-T changes in addition to high voltages (n = 22, group I), those with high voltages (n = 83, group II) and those with other findings (n= 89, group III). BP, serum lipids and glucose tolerance were compared among the 3 groups and subjects with a normal ECG (n = 74, group C, 51 ± 7 years old).
Results: Systolic BP in group I was no different from the other groups in 2000 or 2001 but had increased after 10 years to a level higher than in group III or C. There had been no change in serum lipids and there was no difference among the groups in this respect. FPG was increased but there was no different among the groups in this regard. The prevalence of hypertension in group I was higher than in group C in 2000 or 2001, and higher than in group II, III and C in 2010 or 2011 (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that in subjects with mild hypertension and high voltages in their ECG initially, further elevation of BP brought about ST-T changes and therefore, BP control seems to be important.
