Which ECG change is observed with aging?

Which ECG change is observed with aging?

• A. Prolonged Q-R interval
• B. Prolonged P-R interval only
• C. Prolonged Q-T interval only
• D. Prolonged P-R interval and prolonged Q-T interval with QRS unchanged

Answer: (D)

Aging slows some parts of the heart’s electrical timing, especially conduction from the atria to the ventricles and the time it takes for repolarization to complete. The connection between atria and ventricles runs through the AV node, and aging often brings fibrous changes there that lengthen this conduction time, so the PR interval becomes longer. At the same time, ventricular repolarization can take a bit longer in older hearts, which lengthens the QT interval. The QRS duration, which reflects how quickly the ventricles depolarize, tends to stay the same in healthy aging unless other heart disease is present. So the pattern you’d expect with aging is a longer PR interval and a longer QT interval, with an unchanged QRS duration.

Aging slows some parts of the heart’s electrical timing, especially conduction from the atria to the ventricles and the time it takes for repolarization to complete. The connection between atria and ventricles runs through the AV node, and aging often brings fibrous changes there that lengthen this conduction time, so the PR interval becomes longer. At the same time, ventricular repolarization can take a bit longer in older hearts, which lengthens the QT interval. The QRS duration, which reflects how quickly the ventricles depolarize, tends to stay the same in healthy aging unless other heart disease is present. So the pattern you’d expect with aging is a longer PR interval and a longer QT interval, with an unchanged QRS duration.