Blood Pressure Severity Modifies the Association Between Atrial Cardiopathy and Stroke Mortality

Researchers analyzed 7,191 cardiovascular disease-free adults from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) with baseline ECG. Atrial cardiopathy was defined by three ECG markers: prolonged P-wave duration ≥120 ms, abnormal P-wave axis (<0° or >75°), and deep terminal negativity of the P wave in V1. The study tested whether the association between these markers and stroke mortality varies by blood pressure severity, addressing a gap in prior work. Results could help refine which patients with atrial cardiopathy are at highest stroke risk, especially considering BP control. Further validation in clinical cohorts is needed before application.