RESTING ECG-CHANGES IN LONG-TERM SURVIVORS AFTER CAROTID ENDARTERECTOMY

Objective. To evaluate the prevalence of resting ECG findings preopera tively and at the follow-up examination in long term survivors after c arotid endarterectomy and to find out possible alteration in ECG patte rn between preoperative and follow-up ECG records. Setting. Tampere Un iversity Hospital. Patients. 150 patients intended to control examinat ion. There were 97 men and 53 women with the mean age of 63.7 Fears. I nterventions, Carotid endarterectomy. Measures. Preoperative and follo w-up ECG records were classified according to Minnesota coding system. Results. No reportable ECG items were found in 92.0% of patients preo peratively and in 78.5% at the followup examination. In 13.3% of patie nts ECG pattern was changed during the follow-up. Q-QS-changes were fo und in 6.7% of patients preoperatively and in 16.1% of patients at the follow-up examination. Atrial fibrillation appeared in. 4.7% of patie nts during the follow-up. One new RBBB was found at the follow-up EGG. Conclusions. In this selected material resting ECG changes in long te rm survivors after carotid endarterectomy were relatively few. ECG cha nges found were mostly suggestive of ischemic heart disease and progre ssion to more frequent ischemic changes during the follow-up was obvio us.