The role of heart rate in the development of cardiovascular disease

Heart rate is an independent risk factor for patients with cardiovascular disease, in particular with arterial hypertension, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease and heart failure. This relation is supported by a large number of animal studies as well as clinical trials which are summarized in this article. These studies demonstrated detrimental effects of increased heart rate on the function and structure of the cardiovascular system. Heart rate can be easily detected during physical examination of the patient and therefore allows a simple conclusion on prognosis and efficiency of therapy.