Physical Activity Improves Heart Rate Variability
May 6th 2014
A study released today in Circulation demonstrated that physical activity improves specific segments of heart-rate variability among older adults. A recent study suggests that “any physical activity is better than none” and contributes to the risk reduction of MI and heart failure in people aged 65 and older.
They data was gathered from 985 participants in the population-based Cardiovascular Health Study in which analyzed older men & women (average age 71.5 years) in 4 communities at baseline during 1989-1990 were followed for 10 years for cardiovascular events.
The study reviewed 24-hour Holter Monitoring obtained in a subset of those participants at enrollment and at 5-year follow-up. The individuals completed detailed questionnaires about the frequency and duration of their usual activities, including walking, gardening, swimming, aerobics, golfing, dancing, and riding an exercise cycle.
Activity level showed a linear association with higher 24-hour standard deviation of all normal-to-normal-intervals utilizing the SDNN method of heart rate variabilitiy. According to the experts, a higher ‘ultra-low-frequency’ power or ULF and fewer episodes of erratic heart-rate variability during the Holter monitoring study demonstrate a reduced the risk of MI and heart failure. Higher values using the SDNN method were noted in the highest 25% and the lowest 25% of leisure-time activity which correlate to (approximately) 11% lower risk of cardiac events.
People who can increase their walking distance or pace during the first 5 years of follow-up showed significantly higher SDNN and ULF and significantly fewer episodes of heart-rate variability than did those who maintained or decreased their walking distance or pace. This information was reported by Dr. Soares-Miranda at teh Harvard School of Public Health, Boston.
(Circulation 2014 May 6 [doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.113.005361]).
