Minnesota Code 1982 based evaluation of electrocardiograms in population of seamen and deep-sea fishermen (of long occupational experience at sea)

Abstract

The electrocardiograms of 780 seamen and deep-sea fishermen, aged over 40 or of at least a 10 years' service at sea, randomly selected, were evaluated according to the Minnesota Code 1982 criteria. Out of them, 70.3% were found normal, 29.7% were not. In the latter group pathological Q or QS waves were noted in 1.4% Defective repolarization of the ventricle myocardium in the fourth and fifth category were observed in 4.5%. Atrio-ventricular first degree block was revealed in 1.4%, intraventricular conduction defects totalled 3.8%. Heart action disorders in the form of frequent ventricular and junctional beats were diagnosed in 2.3%. Arterial hypertension in terms of WHO criteria was observed in 9.4% subjects. Overweight and obesity affected 8.3% patients under investigation. The rate of deviations in the electrocardiograms subjected to the evaluation with the code do not diverge significantly from the data obtained from the studies on industrial workers in Poland.