The Oslo Ischaemia Study: cohort profile.

Purpose: The Oslo Ischaemia Study was designed to investigate the prevalence and predictors of silent coronary disease in Norwegian middle-aged men, specifically validating exercise electrocardiography (ECG) findings compared with angiography. The study has been important in investigating long-term predictors of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, as well as investigating a broad spectrum of epidemiological and public health perspectives.

Participants: In 1972-1975, 2014 healthy men, 40-59 years old, were enrolled in the study.

Novel insights into stroke risk beyond resting and maximal bicycle exercise systolic blood pressure.

Objective: Previous research has shown an association between moderate workload exercise blood pressure (BP) and coronary disease, whereas maximal exercise BP is associated with stroke. We aimed to investigate the association between the increase in BP during maximal exercise and the long-term risk of stroke in healthy, middle-aged men.

Methods: Two thousand and fourteen men were included in the Oslo Ischemia Study in the 1970s.

[Ten-year prediction of cardiovascular disease in healthy Norwegian men, based on NORRISK-2].

Background: Norwegian guidelines for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease recommend the use of the NORRISK-2 risk model, with some additions. We wished to investigate whether NORRISK-2 could predict cardiovascular disease in healthy Norwegian men who took part in the Oslo Ischaemia Study.

Material: NORRISK-2 scores were calculated for 2 014 men in the age group 40-60 years who were included in the Oslo Ischaemia Study in 1972-75.

Cardioversion Safety - Are We Doing Enough?

There is a considerable periprocedural risk of thromboembolic events in atrial fibrillation patients undergoing cardioversion, and treatment with anticoagulants is therefore a hallmark of cardioversion safety. Based on retrospective subgroup analyses and prospective studies, non-vitamin K anticoagulants are at least as efficient as vitamin K-antagonists in preventing thromboembolic complications after cardioversion. The risk of thromboembolic complications after cardioversion very much depends on the comorbidities in a given patient, and especially heart failure, diabetes, and age >75 years carry a markedly increased risk.

Change in Body Weight and Long-Term Risk of Stroke and Death in Healthy Men.

Background and Purpose- The importance of weight change for the risk of stroke is not well known. We examined the associations between early- and mid-life weight change and risks of stroke and death during long-term follow-up of healthy men. Methods- We recruited healthy men aged between 40 and 59 years and performed a cardiovascular examination at baseline and again at 7 years.

Exercise Systolic Blood Pressure at Moderate Workload Is Linearly Associated With Coronary Disease Risk in Healthy Men.

There is no consensus on the definition of an exaggerated increase in systolic blood pressure (SBP) during exercise. The aim was to explore a potential threshold for exercise SBP associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease in healthy men using repeated exercise testing. Two thousand fourteen healthy white male employees were recruited into the Oslo Ischemia Study during early 1970s.

Change in Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Risk of Stroke and Death: Long-Term Follow-Up of Healthy Middle-Aged Men.

Background and Purpose- Low cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The present study aims to assess whether change of fitness over time has any impact on long-term risk of stroke and death. Methods- We recruited healthy men aged 40 to 59 years in 1972 to 1975, and followed them until 2007.

SBP above 180 mmHg at moderate exercise workload increases coronary heart disease risk in healthy men during 28-year follow-up.

Objective: We investigated the association between exercise SBP at a moderate workload and long-term risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in men who were healthy when assessed by two bicycle exercise tests 7 years apart.

Methods: During 1972-1975, apparently healthy men (n = 1999) were initially enrolled following thorough medical examination and ECG-monitored bicycle exercise test. Participants (n = 1392) who were healthy also at a second exercise test 7 years later were included in the present study.

Physical fitness is a modifiable predictor of early cardiovascular death: A 35-year follow-up study of 2014 healthy middle-aged men.

Background Physical fitness has been shown to predict cardiovascular death during long-term follow-up. In the present study we aimed to investigate how physical fitness and other cardiovascular risk factors at middle-age influenced the risk of cardiovascular death during the early (0-11 years), intermediate (12-23 years) and late (24-35 years) parts of a 35-year observation period. Methods and results Age-adjusted physical fitness was calculated in 2014 apparently healthy, middle-aged men after maximal bicycle electrocardiogram-tests in 1972-1975 (Survey 1) and 1979-1982 (Survey 2).

Long-term predictors of stroke in healthy middle-aged men.

Background There are few data on risk factors for stroke during long-term follow-up of healthy individuals. Aims We aimed to investigate the long-term predictive impact on stroke risk of baseline variables including hemodynamic variables measured at rest and during exercise in middle-aged, healthy men. Methods We performed a prospective cohort study of 2014 healthy Norwegian men aged 40-59 years, recruited during the period 1972-1975 and followed until 2007.

Exercise systolic blood pressure at moderate workload predicts cardiovascular disease and mortality through 35 years of follow-up in healthy, middle-aged men.

Objective: There is an association between exercise systolic blood pressure (SBP) and cardiovascular disease and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate this association, with 35 years of follow-up.

Methods: Through 1972-75, 2014 healthy, middle-aged men underwent thorough medical examination and a bicycle exercise test.

Temporal Reduction in Chronotropic Index Predicts Risk of Cardiovascular Death Among Healthy Middle-Aged Men: a 28-Year Follow-Up Study.

Background: Chronotropic index is a standardized measure of heart rate (HR) increment during exercise that reflects the combined effects of age, resting HR, and physical fitness. Low chronotropic index has been reported to predict disease and death. We tested whether temporal change in chronotropic index over 7 years influenced risk of cardiovascular death through up to 28 years.

Body weight and risk of atrial fibrillation in 7,169 patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes; an observational study.

Background: Obesity, type 2 diabetes and atrial fibrillation (AF) are closely associated, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. We aimed to explore associations between body mass index (BMI) or weight change with risk of AF in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: A total of 7,169 participations with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes were stratified according to baseline BMI, and after a second BMI measurement within 18 months, further grouped according to relative weight change as "weight gain" (>1 BMI unit), "stable weight" (+/- 1 BMI unit) and "weight loss" (<1 BMI unit).

Heart rate reserve predicts cardiovascular death among physically unfit but otherwise healthy middle-aged men: a 35-year follow-up study.

Background: Heart rate reserve (HRR) has been reported to be inversely associated with cardiovascular (CV) disease and death. The impact of physical fitness (PF) on this relationship has not, however, been described in detail. We investigated how different levels of PF influenced the association between HRR and CV death during a 35-year follow-up.

Low heart rates predict incident atrial fibrillation in healthy middle-aged men.

Background: Low resting heart rate (HR) has been associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) in athletes. We aimed to study whether low HR at rest or during exercise testing was a predictor of AF in initially healthy middle-aged men.

Methods And Results: A total of 2014 healthy Norwegian men participated in a prospective cardiovascular survey, including a standardized bicycle exercise test in 1972 to 1975.

Seven-year increase in exercise systolic blood pressure at moderate workload predicts long-term risk of coronary heart disease and mortality in healthy middle-aged men.

Exercise systolic blood pressure (SBP) predicts coronary heart disease (CHD) in the general population. We tested whether changes in exercise SBP during 7 years predict CHD (including angina pectoris, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and fatal CHD) and mortality over the following 28 years. Peak SBP at 100 W workload (=5.

Importance of physical fitness on predictive effect of body mass index and weight gain on incident atrial fibrillation in healthy middle-age men.

The incidence of both atrial fibrillation (AF) and obesity is increasing in the community, and lifestyle intervention is recommended. We aimed to test whether the predictive effect of body mass index (BMI) and weight change from age 25 years to midlife on incident AF were influenced by physical fitness. In 1972 to 1975, 2,014 healthy middle-age men conducted a bicycle exercise electrocardiographic test as a part of a cardiovascular survey program, defining physical fitness as work performed divided by body weight.

Upper normal blood pressures predict incident atrial fibrillation in healthy middle-aged men: a 35-year follow-up study.

Hypertension is the most prevalent risk factor for incident atrial fibrillation (AF). Recently, even high normal blood pressures (BPs) have been established as predictive of AF in women. We aimed to study the long-term impact of upper normal BP on incident AF in a population-based study of middle-aged men.

HDL-cholesterol and prediction of coronary heart disease: modified by physical fitness? A 28-year follow-up of apparently healthy men.

Objective: High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and physical fitness (PF) have both been shown to predict cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly coronary heart disease (CHD). Increased PF is associated with increased HDL and may partly explain the benefit of HDL. We tested the hypothesis that PF influences the prognostic impact of HDL for CHD and also for CHD-, CVD- and all-cause death.

The role of beta-blockers in the treatment of chronic heart failure.

The introduction of beta-blockers in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases was a milestone and one of the most important contributions to clinical medicine in the 20th century. For many years, beta-blockers were considered contraindicated in patients with chronic heart failure owing to the negative inotropic action of these substances. With increasing evidence of neurohormonal activation in heart failure patients, there was a focus on the potential role of beta-blockers in the treatment of chronic heart failure.

High prevalence of atrial fibrillation in long-term endurance cross-country skiers: echocardiographic findings and possible predictors--a 28-30 years follow-up study.

Background: Lone atrial fibrillation (LAF) seems to be more common in endurance-trained male athletes than in men in the general population. The reason for this has not been found.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of LAF in long-term endurance cross-country skiers and to examine possible predictors.