Objectives: Cardiac co-morbidities add to the overall morbidity and mortality of patients with COPD. Rate Pressure product is the product of systolic blood pressure and heart rate and is indicative of increased myocardial oxygen demand or the cardiac workload. The objective of the study was to assess cardiovascular status of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseasepatients, by determining rate pressure product (RPP). The study was performed with the hypothesis that RPP would be increased in COPD patients and may be used to detect cardiovascular complications in these patients. Methods and materials: Thirty COPD patients of more than 18 years age without frank cardiovascular symptoms were selected. Patients with pulmonary co-morbidities, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, thyroid disorders, any heart disease or other diseases that may affect cardiovascular system were excluded from the study. They were divided into different stages of severity (GOLD classification), based on FEV1. Their RPP was calculated. Outcomes: The results showed RPP to be above normal range in all the patients. Spirometry was abnormal (decreased FVC, FEV1, FVC/FEV1 below predicted) in all the patients. A negative correlation was observed between FVC/FEV1 and FEV1 and RPP, however it was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The study emphasises the implication of RPP in detecting early and imperceptible cardiovascular morbidity in COPD patients.

Keywords: COPD; Rate pressure product; Cardiovascular morbidity.