Authors

• Aleksandra Marković — County Hospital Čakovec, Čakovec, Croatia — ORCID: 0000-0002-7899-5322
• Sandro Brusich — University of Rijeka School of Medicine, University Hospital Centre Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
• Alen Ružić — University of Rijeka School of Medicine, University Hospital Centre Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia — ORCID: 0000-0001-5031-2975

Keywords

obesity, electrocardiographic changes, ECG analysis

DOI

Full Text

**Introduction:** Obesity is a major public health problem, many as 13% of the world population is obese. It is an independent factor for development of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. (1-3) The aim of this study was to analyze certain electrocardiographic parameters in order to realize the difference between obese people and those with normal body weight. **Patients and Methods:** The study included 166 patients, of which 76 obese patients, mostly men aged 43.23 ± 12.43. The main selection criterion was the BMI greater than 30kg/m2. Exclusion criteria were known history of cardiovascular disease, electrocardiographic changes in the form of a block (left or right branch), atrial and/or ventricular extrasystoles, and previously known diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension. **Results:** A comparative analysis of electrocardiograms found four significant differences. In obese patients electrical axis rotated more to the left than in the control group (21.64 ± 30.31 vs. 53.62 ± 31.21 degrees, p <0.001). Time depolarization of the atrium is also longer in obese based on changes in the size of the atrium ((P wave: 106 ms (62-186 ms) vs. 112 ms (58-162 ms) p = 0.01; PQ interval: 159.23 ± 25.07 ms vs. 148.77 ± 24.18 ms, p = 0.006)). Flattened / negative T waves of precordial drains were found in greater numbers in obese people; T waves on limb drains were found in greater numbers in healthy subjects. QRS, QTc and ST segment elevation were not significantly different between two groups. The study shows obese patients also have a higher blood pressure, over 8 mmHg systolic and 10 mmHg of diastolic blood pressure values (p <0.05). **Conclusion:** Minimum ECG changes such as increasing the atrial depolarization and change of final oscillations could be used in obese patients as a screening method for early detection of cardiac changes and identifying those in need of further processing.

Literature

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