Key result
Frequency-domain heart rate variability declined most between ages 65-70 and leveled off at age >75, while ratio-based and non-linear measures continued to decline with increasing age.
Why the study?
Does ageing over 5 years reduce heart rate variability in community-dwelling older adults?
Cohort (n=585)
Does ageing over 5 years reduce heart rate variability in community-dwelling older adults?
Age-related decline in cardiac autonomic function measured by frequency-domain HRV slows after age 70, whereas non-linear and ratio-based measures continue to decline and are more sensitive to cardiovascular risk.
Frequency-domain HRV decline slows after 70 while ratio/non-linear measures persist; leaves open best indices for autonomic risk assessment in older adults.
PURPOSE: to characterise the association between age, ageing and heart rate variability (HRV) in older individuals, 585 adults age >65 years with two 24-h Holter recordings in the Cardiovascular Health Study were studied. METHODS: heart rate (HR), ventricular premature contractions (VPCs), atrial premature contractions (APCs), frequency-domain, ratio-based and non-linear HRV and heart rate turbulence (HRT) were examined cross-sectionally by 5-year age groups and prospectively over 5 years. Analyses adjusted for gender, lower versus elevated cardiovascular (CV) risk and for the change in CV risk. RESULTS: HR declined, and VPCs and APCs increased per 5-year increase in age. Frequency-domain HRV decreased more at 65-69, less at 70-74 and minimally at > or =75 years, independent of CVD risk or change in CVD risk. Ratio and non-linear HRV continued to decline to > or =75 years old. Ratio HRV and HRT slope were more strongly related to CVD risk than frequency-domain HRV. CONCLUSIONS: cardiac autonomic function, assessed by frequency-domain HRV, declines most at 65-70 and levels off at age >75. The decline is independent of CVD risk or change in CVD risk. Ratio-based and non-linear HRV and HRT slope continued to change with increasing age and were more closely related to CVD risk than frequency-domain HRV.
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Stein et al. (2008) conducted a cohort in Community-dwelling older adults (n=585). Ageing vs. Baseline age was evaluated on Changes in heart rate variability (frequency-domain, ratio-based, non-linear) and heart rate turbulence. Frequency-domain heart rate variability declined most between ages 65-70 and leveled off at age >75, while ratio-based and non-linear measures continued to decline with increasing age.
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