The Clinical Value of the 24-hour Ambulatory ECG Monitoring in Patients with Chronic Atrial Fibrillation

Abstract

24-hour ambulatory ECG monitoring has been examined for the evaluation of heart rate and longest pause in 34 patients with chronic atrial fibrillation(20 patients treated with digoxin and 14 patients without treatment). Following results were obtained : 1. In 34 patients, the mean of average heart rates was /minute, fastest heart rates /minute, slowest heart rates /minute, difference between fastest and slowest heart rates in individual patients /minute and longest pauses seconds. The longest pauses of more than 4.0 seconds occurred in 4 of the 34 patients and made an exeption of comparison groups. 2. In 27 of the 34 patients, ventricular premature contractures were developed and in 11 of 27, mainly occured less than 100/24 hours and aberrant conduction occurred in all patients. 3. In 20 patients treated with digoxin(0.25mg/day), the mean of average heart rates was /minute, fastest heart rates /minute, slowest heart rates /minute, difference between fastest and slowest heart rates in individual patients /minute and longest pauses seconds. 4. In 10 patients without treatment, the mean of average heart rates was /minute, fastest heart rates /minute, slowest heart rates /minute, difference between fastest and slowest heart rates in individual patients /minute and longest pauses seconds. 5. The difference of heart rates and longest pauses between patients with treatment and without treatment were statistically not significant(P>0.05). In summary, authors seemed to consider that 24-hour ambulatory ECG was useful and safe method for clinical evaluation of patients with chronic atrial fibrillation.