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To evaluate the prognostic implications of atrial premature complexes (APCs) and ventricular premature complexes (VPCs) detected on a single 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) in healthy individuals, investigators analyzed NHANES III data for 7504 adults (mean age, 60; 47% women; 49% white) without cardiovascular disease who had good-quality ECGs showing sinus rhythm without conduction abnormalities. At baseline, 89 participants (1.2%) had APCs and 110 (1.5%) had VPCs. Compared with participants without premature ectopic beats, those with premature complexes were more likely to be older, male, and white and to have higher systolic blood pressure and greater prevalence of pulmonary disease and left ventricular hypertrophy; participants with APC…