Conventional heart rate variability analysis of ambulatory electrocardiographic recordings fails to predict imminent

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Methods for ECG Evaluation of Indicators of Cardiac Risk, and Susceptibility to Aconitine-induced Arrhythmias in Rats Following Status Epilepticus
08:28

Methods for ECG Evaluation of Indicators of Cardiac Risk, and Susceptibility to Aconitine-induced Arrhythmias in Rats Following Status Epilepticus

Published on: April 5, 2011

T Vybiral1, D H Glaeser, A L Goldberger

  • 1Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.

Journal of the American College of Cardiology
|August 1, 1993
PubMed

Insights

Heart rate variability (HRV) did not predict ventricular fibrillation in patients with heart disease. This study found no significant differences in HRV between patients who experienced ventricular fibrillation and those who did not.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Electrophysiology
  • Medical Statistics

Background:

  • Decreased heart rate variability (HRV) is a known long-term predictor of mortality after myocardial infarction.
  • Reduced HRV is associated with increased risk of sudden cardiac death.
  • A hypothesis suggested HRV would be lowest immediately before ventricular fibrillation (VF).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate heart rate variability (HRV) in Holter recordings of patients experiencing ventricular fibrillation (VF).
  • To determine if HRV can serve as a short-term predictor of life-threatening arrhythmias like VF.

Main Methods:

  • Conventional HRV indexes were calculated from 24-hour Holter recordings.
  • Patients with structural heart disease who experienced VF during monitoring were studied.
  • A control group of 19 patients with coronary artery disease and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (but no VF) was included for comparison.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference in HRV was observed between the ventricular fibrillation (VF) group and the control group.
  • No consistent trends in HRV were identified immediately preceding the occurrence of ventricular fibrillation (VF).

Conclusions:

  • Conventional heart rate variability (HRV) is an established long-term predictor of adverse outcomes post-myocardial infarction.
  • The clinical utility of HRV as a short-term predictor for life-threatening arrhythmias like ventricular fibrillation (VF) requires further investigation.
Abstract

Keywords:
NASA Discipline CardiopulmonaryNon-NASA Center

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