Frequency and Distribution of Long‐Term ECG‐recorded Cardiac Arrhythmias in an Elderly Population

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Abstract
The prevalence of serious episodic cardiac arrhythmias known to correlate with cerebral symptoms was investigated in 103 elderly, randomly selected persons with the aid of 22 h of long-term ECG recording (LTER). Of 26 subjects with dizziness/syncope 12 had serious episodic arrhythmias compared with 5 of 77 subjects without these symptoms. This difference is significant (P < 0.001). Five patients fulfilled strict criteria for pacemaker treatment of symptomatic bradycardias. Three had the sick sinus syndrome and 2 had 3rd degree atrioventricular block. In 4 subjects, drugs were withdrawn due to bradycardia; 4 were treated for tachyarrhythmias. Despite the finding of minor arrhythmias in almost all asymptomatic subjects, it is concluded that serious episodic arrhythmias in the elderly are related to cerebral symptoms; these arrhythmias are more common than previously believed, and LTER should be widely used.