Prevalence and incidence of cardiovascular disease in 1160 older men and 2464 older women in a long-term health care facility.

BACKGROUND We report the prevalence and incidence of cardiovascular disease in older men and women in a long-term health care facility. METHODS The prevalence of hypertension, chronic atrial fibrillation, pacemaker rhythm, coronary artery disease (CAD), thromboembolic stroke, and symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and the incidence of new coronary events, thromboembolic stroke, and congestive heart failure (CHF) were investigated in 1160 men, mean age 80 +/- 8 years, and in 2464 women, mean age 81 +/- 8 years, in a long-term health care facility. Mean follow-up was 46 +/- 30 months. RESULTS The prevalences of hypertension, pacemaker rhythm, CAD, and thromboembolic stroke were similar in men and women. The prevalence of atrial fibrillation was higher in men (16%) than in women (13%; p =.019). The prevalence of PAD was higher in men (32%) than in women (26%; p =.0001). At the 46-month follow-up, the incidences of new coronary events, thromboembolic stroke, and CHF were similar in men and women. CONCLUSIONS Older men and women in a long-term health care facility have a high prevalence and incidence of cardiovascular disease. The prevalences of hypertension, pacemaker rhythm, CAD, and thromboembolic stroke and the incidences of new coronary events, thromboembolic stroke, and CHF were similar in men and women. However, the prevalences of atrial fibrillation and of PAD were higher in men than in women.