What are the health effects of a low HRV?

Introduction

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a measure of the variation in time between each heartbeat, reflecting the autonomic nervous system's regulation of the heart. Low HRV is often considered a marker of poor autonomic function and has been associated with various adverse health outcomes.

Key Insights

Increased Mortality and Cardiovascular Risk:
- Low HRV is associated with a higher risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and mortality from several causes, including cardiovascular diseases .
- In patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), low HRV is linked to increased all-cause mortality.
Autonomic Dysfunction and Stress Response:
- Reduced HRV is linked to impaired recovery of cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune markers after stress, indicating poor autonomic regulation.
- Individuals with clinical burnout exhibit significantly lower HRV, suggesting a connection between chronic stress and autonomic dysfunction.
Impact on Specific Populations:
- Cancer survivors with low HRV experience higher levels of pain, fatigue, stress, and depression, which are mediated by autonomic dysfunction.
- Alcohol-dependent individuals show reduced HRV, which improves with abstinence but remains lower than in non-alcoholic controls.
Diabetes and Hypoglycemia:
- In type 2 diabetic patients, low HRV is associated with a higher risk of sudden arrhythmia during hypoglycemic episodes, indicating impaired autonomic counter-regulation.

Conclusion

Low HRV is a significant marker of poor autonomic function and is associated with increased mortality, higher cardiovascular risk, impaired stress recovery, and adverse health outcomes in various populations, including cancer survivors, alcohol-dependent individuals, and diabetic patients. These findings underscore the importance of HRV as a potential biomarker for assessing health risks and guiding interventions.

What are the health effects of a low HRV?

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Heart rate variability (HRV) training for symptom control in cancer survivors.

HRV-B training improves heart rate variability coherence, restores autonomic health, and reduces symptoms in cancer survivors.

Characteristics of heart rate variability in alcohol-dependent subjects and nondependent chronic alcohol users.

Chronic alcohol use leads to decreased heart rate variability, with low dose use (1-2 drinks per day) increasing it in nondependent users, and abstinence improving it in dependent subjects.

Low Heart Rate Variability in a 2-Minute Rhythm Strip Predicts Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Mortality From Several Causes: The ARIC Study

Low heart rate variability is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease and death from various causes, suggesting it is a marker of less favorable health.

Heart rate variability and the risk of heart failure and its subtypes in post-menopausal women: The Women’s Health Initiative study

Low heart rate variability is associated with increased risk of hospitalized heart failure and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in post-menopausal women.

Low vagal tone is associated with impaired post stress recovery of cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune markers

Low vagal tone is associated with impaired recovery of cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune markers after stress, potentially serving as a risk marker for future stress-related diseases.

Reduced capacity of heart rate regulation in response to mild hypoglycemia induced by glibenclamide and physical exercise in type 2 diabetes.

Impaired heart rate variability in type 2 diabetic individuals increases the risk of sudden arrhythmia after mild hypoglycemic episodes.

Heart Rate Variability Is a Predictor of Mortality in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Report from the CRIC Study

Lower heart rate variability is a novel and independent risk factor for mortality in chronic kidney disease patients, but not associated with renal or cardiovascular outcomes.

Low heart rate variability in patients with clinical burnout.

Low heart rate variability is found in patients with clinical burnout compared to non-burnout and healthy individuals, potentially linking to adverse health outcomes.

Application of HRV-CD for estimation of life expectancy in various clinical disorders.

Decreased heart rate variability (HRV-CD) is associated with various medical conditions and lower survival rates, particularly in diabetics.

Adding HRV biofeedback to psychotherapy increases heart rate variability and improves the treatment of major depressive disorder.

Adding heart rate variability biofeedback to psychotherapy improves heart rate variability and reduces depressive symptoms in major depressive disorder treatment.

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