Summary

A study of 20 asymptomatic elderly people living at home or in residential care and 20 sympto-matic elderly subjects (with falls, 'collapse', dizziness, 'funny turns ' etc.) revealed that cardiac arrhythmias are common in both groups. Only three of the asymptomatic group and two of the symptomatic group had sinus rhythm throughout their 24-hour electrocardiographic recordings. In the symptomatic group, the arrhythmias bore no relation to the symptoms. Clinical follow-up of up to 6-9 months revealed that elderly people with rhythm abnormalities noted on 24-hour electrocardiographic recording do not develop symptoms