Relationship between heart rate variability indices and habitual physical activity

• Type: Chapter or Part of a Book
• Date: 2015

Authors

Nórton Luís Oliveira (Author) Other; Fernando Ribeiro (Author) Other; Alberto Jorge Alves (Author) Other; José Oliveira (Author) FADEUP

Book

Title: Heart Rate Variability (HRV): prognostic significance, risk factors and clinical applications

Pages: 27-43

ISBN: 9781634637725; 9781634637367

Publisher: Nova Science Publishers

Indexing

Scopus - 0 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Social sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00K-4KB

Abstract (EN): A good estimation of cardiac autonomic modulation is achieved by assessing the heart rate variability (HRV), which represents the variations of the intervals between consecutive normal R wave peaks, usually in the time and frequency domains. In general, a reduced HRV indicates a low vagal activity and, therefore a cardiac autonomic imbalance, which has been associated with aging and with independent and increased risk of different poor outcomes, such as all-cause mortality and sudden cardiac arrest. Since physical activity is an important component of lifestyle and have shown beneficial effects on cardiovascular health, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have investigated the relationship between physical activity and HRV indices in several age groups. Therefore, the aim of the present chapter is to analyze the current evidence regarding the relationship between HRV indices and physical activity in different age groups. Overall, higher levels of self-reported and objectively measured physical activity are associated with higher HRV. Among young individuals, the levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity seem to be strongly associated with a more favorable HRV profile, whereas higher levels of moderate activity appear to be imperative for a higher vagal-related HRV among middle-aged individuals. Among older individuals, it has been reported that besides total leisure-time physical activity, walking pace and distance are prospectively associated with a more favorable HRV profile. Lastly, the mechanisms by which the habitual physical activity could promote changes in the cardiac autonomic modulation are not completely clear, but can be related to improvements in the neurohumoral modulation, for instance, an increase in the nitric oxide bioavailability.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific