Pacing and clinical electrophysiology : PACE
-
Pacing Clin Electrophysiol · Nov 2011
The efficiency of 10-second resting heart rate for the evaluation of short-term heart rate variability indices.
High values of resting heart rate were found to be correlated with adverse outcomes in various patient groups. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a reliable technique in determining autonomic nervous system function. Our aim was to evaluate whether a 10-second resting heart rate obtained from a resting electrocardiogram (ECG), could be used as a reliable evaluation of short-term HRV. ⋯ Resting heart rate obtained from a 10-second ECG can be used for crude estimation of all HRV results in healthy individuals who do not take medications, with variable efficacy depending on the measured parameter. Resting heart rate was especially efficient in predicting max-RR and min-RR. Further research should focus on assessing the reliability of a resting heart rate for HRV evaluation, in patients with autonomic dysfunction and high-risk cardiac patients.
-
Pacing Clin Electrophysiol · Nov 2011
Atrial fibrillation hospitalization is not increased with short-term elevations in exposure to fine particulate air pollution.
Previous studies have observed that short-term exposure to elevated concentrations of particulate matter (PM) air pollution increases risk of acute ischemic heart disease events and heart failure hospitalization, alters cardiac autonomic function, and increases risk of arrhythmias. This study explored the potential associations between short-term elevations in PM exposure and atrial fibrillation (AF). ⋯ Unlike previously observed associations with ischemic heart disease events and heart failure hospitalizations using similar study design and approaches, this study found that hospitalization for AF was not significantly associated with elevations in short-term exposure to fine PM air pollution.