Chest
Clinical InvestigationsCardiac Arrhythmias during Routine Tests of Pulmonary Function in Patients with Chronic Obstruction of Airways
Section snippets
Materials and Methods
A total of 150 patients ages 18 to 82 years (mean, 55 ± 12 years) who were referred to the Pulmonary Function Laboratory of the Cleveland Veterans Administration Hospital were included in the study. All patients had a 12-lead electrocardiogram, and their clinical records were reviewed for factors that might have been related to the occurrence of arrhythmias. These factors included the use of digitalis or bronchodilator drugs (or both) and the presence of pulmonary or cardiac disease. Evidence
Results
The clinical characteristics of the 150 patients studied are shown in the following tabulation, listing the number of patients with each characteristic (numbers within parentheses are percentages):
Cardiac and pulmonary disease 70/150(47) Pulmonary disease only 60/150(40) Cardiac disease only 10/150(7) No cardiac or pulmonary disease 10/150(7) Receiving bronchodilator drugs or digitalis 62/150(41)
Ninety-three percent of the 150 patients had clinical evidence of cardiac or pulmonary disease (or both), and
Arrhythmias during the Control Period
In the past, cardiac arrhythmias were considered rare in patients with cor pulmonale, and their occurrence generally suggested the coexistence of another type of heart disease.10 After Corazza and Pastor11 reported arrhythmias in 30 percent of 122 patients with chronic cor pulmonale, other studies emphasized the association of cardiac arrhythmias and COPD.4,5,12, 13, 14
The advantage of continuous electrocardiographic recording in detecting arrhythmias has previously been described5,15,16 and
Acknowledgment
We wish to thank Mr. George Arnold for his technical assistance, Breon Laboratories for their partial support of the computerized analysis of the tapes, and Drs. A. Shah and H. Schwartz for the early assistance and encouragement of this study.
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Cited by (16)
Adverse cardiac outcomes after pulmonary function testing with recent myocardial infarction
2019, Respiratory MedicineCitation Excerpt :This recommendation is based on expert opinion and one small study showing increased premature atrial contraction frequency during spirometry in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [2,3]. No firm evidence directly linking adverse cardiac outcomes to PFTs performed within one month of MI exists [3]. Based on this relative lack of evidence, other authors have called for a revision of the current guidelines [4].
Cardiovascular manifestations in patients with COPD
2008, Revue des Maladies RespiratoiresCardiac arrhythmia monitoring during bronchial provocation test with methacholine
2003, ChestCitation Excerpt :The performance of adequate FVC maneuvers requires vigorous inspiratory-expiratory efforts. The relationship between the development of cardiac arrhythmias and the performance of spirometry seldom has been investigated.11,16,17 It is noteworthy that the BPT requires a great number of vigorous sequential FVC maneuvers and that the inhalation of doubling doses of MCh, inducing cough and bronchoconstriction, may affect myocardial oxygenation and vagal tone with arrhythmogenic and coronary vasospastic effects.
Manuscript received February 16; revision accepted May 18.
Supported by the Medical Research Service of the Veterans Administration.