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Updated: May 29, 2026
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Quantifying Infra-slow Dynamics of Spectral Power and Heart Rate in Sleeping Mice
Published on: August 2, 2017
Decreased nighttime heart rate variability is associated with increased stroke risk
Zeynep Binici1, Mette Rauhe Mouridsen, Lars Køber
1Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital of Amager, Denmark. zeynep.binici@dadlnet.dk
Stroke
|September 17, 2011
Summary
Nighttime heart rate variability, measured by SDNN, effectively predicts stroke risk in healthy older adults. Lower nocturnal SDNN indicates a higher risk of stroke, highlighting its potential as a predictive marker.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- Predicting stroke in healthy individuals is challenging due to diurnal variations in onset.
- Heart rate variability (HRV) may offer predictive insights, particularly during nighttime hours.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if nighttime heart rate variability predicts stroke risk in apparently healthy middle-aged and elderly subjects.
- To determine the association between SDNN and stroke incidence.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 678 healthy subjects (55-75 years) in the Copenhagen Holter Study.
- Conducted 48-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram monitoring to measure HRV, specifically SDNN.
- Analyzed nighttime SDNN (02:00-02:15 AM) in 653 subjects over a median follow-up of 76 months.
Main Results:
- Nighttime SDNN was lower in women and diabetics.
- Lower nighttime SDNN (≤38 ms) was significantly associated with a 4.31-fold increased stroke risk.
- Each 10 ms increment in nighttime SDNN reduced stroke risk (HR 0.67) after adjusting for conventional risk factors.
Conclusions:
- Nocturnal heart rate variability, specifically SDNN, is a potent predictor of stroke in healthy individuals.
- Reduced parasympathetic activity, indicated by lower nocturnal HRV, may elevate stroke risk, potentially through increased arrhythmia risk.
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