Aim: To assess relationship between pulse rate (PR) and cardiovascular and total mortality in samples of male and female population of Russia.
Material and methods: Results of several cross-sectional and cohort studies carried out on different years by Research Center of Preventive Medicine of Ministry of Health of Russian Federation were pooled. Overall 10,109 men and 4,668 women aged > or = 35 years were followed for 18 and 16 years, respectively.
Results: Even after adjustment for all registered risk factors subjects with PR exceeding 80 bpm compared with those with PR < 60 bpm had significantly higher risk of both total (relative risks 1.29 and 1.30, 95% confidence intervals 1.17-1.41 and 1.05-1.6, respectively). Survival of men and women with PR > 80 bpm was 7 and 3.2 years less than that of subjects with PR <60 bpm, respectively. Relationship between PR and mortality was strongest at PR > 80/min (lower boundary of the 5th quintile).