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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

Rapidly upsloping ST-segment on exercise ECG: a marker of reduced coronary heart disease mortality risk.

Background: The prognostic value of an isolated J-point depression, or rapidly upsloping ST-segment, on an exercise ECG has long been assumed to be a benign variant. However, little or no data supporting this assumption may be found in the literature. Our task was to examine if a rapidly upsloping ST-segment on an exercise ECG is associated with changes in risk of dying from CHD in 2014 healthy middle-aged men followed for 35 years.

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.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in acute coronary syndrome; clinical features and contribution of cardiac magnetic resonance during the acute and convalescent phase.

Objectives: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is a diagnostic entity that is increasingly being recognized. Data from cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging and its impact on differential diagnosis are limited.

Methods And Results: After 26 months, coronary angiography revealed normal coronary arteries and left ventriculography and/or echocardiography left ventricular dysfunction with apical ballooning in 20 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Interaction between inflammation and blood viscosity predicts cardiovascular mortality.

Objectives: Inflammation and increased blood viscosity are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and hematocrit both influence blood viscosity whereas the first also is a marker of inflammation. We aimed to investigate ESR, hematocrit and the interaction between them as predictors of cardiovascular mortality during 26 years follow-up among healthy middle aged men.