Study of cardiac parasympathoautonomic regulation in men of different ages

Objective: Cardiovagal autonomic control is protective physiological mechanism that associates cardiorespiratory fitness. Its evaluation with noninvasive simple means has important role in clinical neurophysiology for application in medical preventive and promotive care. Cardiovagal regulatory function was evaluated among overtly healthy adult male workers of youth to elderly age, using simple noninvasive electrophysiological tests. Methods : Based on specific selection criteria 52 males in 23-67 year age were administered deep breathing induced heart rate variability (HRV) and standing induced heart rate response tests of cardiovagal function. Electrocardiography was sole technical resource with manual observations and calculations. Results: The statistically significant observations were mostly precluded due to limited size of the studied sample .However, increasing age even in studied range indicated progressive decline in cardiovagal control in both deep breathing HRV and standing 30:15 heart rate response tests Conclusion: Declines of small magnitude in cardiovagal regulation at rest in supine posture may prove costly upon exercise situation when sympathetic outflow overtakes cardiovascular function. Exercise training and measures as Yoga that boost vagal tone acquire greater significance in aging adults who may have to occasionally take up physically strenuas tasks.