Low HRV but otherwise healthy?
Rule out family history of hypertension (FHH).
Offspring of hypertensives often have ↓ HRV, even when normotensive, & have ↑ risk of future hypertension.
Notable findings, with good news (hint: exercise/fitness helps a lot), in thread below.
Rule out family history of hypertension (FHH).
Offspring of hypertensives often have ↓ HRV, even when normotensive, & have ↑ risk of future hypertension.
Notable findings, with good news (hint: exercise/fitness helps a lot), in thread below.
This recent meta-analysis shows that young adults (age 18-40) with FHH have higher blood pressure & lower HRV vs controls.
“…no potential confounders (age, body mass, and BMI) were associated with clinic BP and HRV in young adults.”
journals.lww.com
“…no potential confounders (age, body mass, and BMI) were associated with clinic BP and HRV in young adults.”
journals.lww.com
In middle-aged adults (n = 1436), those with no FHH had higher parasympathetic HRV markers after covariate adjustment vs normotensives with FHH, pre-hypertensives, & hypertensives.
jacc.org
jacc.org
Some show an effect of sex. This study in young healthy adults (matched BMI) showed that only men with FHH had ↓ HRV, along with ↓ baroreflex sensitivity & ↓ ventricular function vs controls. No differences between women with/without FHH.
journals.lww.com
journals.lww.com
No mention of FHH, but HRV differences based on BP have even been reported in normotensive young athletes. Despite matched height, weight, & VO2max in teen soccer players, HRV was lower in players with higher mean arterial pressure after median split.
academic.oup.com
academic.oup.com
Nevertheless, the best way to increase HRV is generally via aerobic exercise.
Here, HRV, baroreflex sensitivity, & aortic compliance were higher in fit vs less-fit young adults with FHH (VO2max = 57 vs 45 ml/kg/min, matched BMI).
physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Here, HRV, baroreflex sensitivity, & aortic compliance were higher in fit vs less-fit young adults with FHH (VO2max = 57 vs 45 ml/kg/min, matched BMI).
physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Further demonstrating the importance of aerobic fitness/activity, this study found that more physically active subjects with FHH had higher HRV, lower diastolic BP, & lower reactive oxygen species vs less active subjects with FHH.
link.springer.com
link.springer.com
Conclusion:
FHH may help explain ↓ HRV in otherwise healthy people.
FHH may help explain some cases in which high fit individuals have lower HRV than others of similar or lower fitness.
Fitness/healthy lifestyle to ↑/maintain relative HRV seems especially important in FHH.
FHH may help explain ↓ HRV in otherwise healthy people.
FHH may help explain some cases in which high fit individuals have lower HRV than others of similar or lower fitness.
Fitness/healthy lifestyle to ↑/maintain relative HRV seems especially important in FHH.
Loading suggestions...