Correlation between heart rate variability, blood pressure and heart function in patients with essential hypertension depending on the type of therapy

Abstract

Objective . To assess the relationship between heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure (BP) and heart function in patients with essential hypertension (EH) who are undergoing medical treatment (EH-1) and are simultaneously regularly involved in kinesitherapy (EH-2). Design and methods . In patients, blood pressure (BP) was measured and echocardiography was performed to determine the end-systolic and end-diastolic volume (ESV and EDV) of the left ventricle (LV), cardiac minute volume (CMV), stroke volume (SV) of the LV, left ventricular myocardial mass (LVM), LVM index (LVMI), post-systolic shortening (PSS), and ejection fraction (EF). To assess the characteristics of HRV, photoplethysmography (PPG) was applied. Information on the variability of the RR intervals was extracted from the pulse component of the PPG signal, and HRV indicators were calculated: HR — heart rate, LF — power in the Low Frequency range (sympathetic activity), HF — power in the High Frequency range (parasympathetic activity), LF/HF — general sympatho-vagal balance, CVI — cardiac vagal index, CSI — cardiac sympathetic index. Results . EH-1 patients have a negative relationship between LF and mean BP. In EH-2 women, positive relationships between LF and pulse BP, HF and systolic and pulse pressure were found. In patients with EH-1, there is a negative relationship between VLF and CMV, and CSI with LVMI. In patients with GB-2, there are positive correlations between SDNN and EDV, LF and EDV, SV and CMV, as well as LF/HF with EDV, SV and CMV, CSI and CVI with PSS. Conclusions . In women of the EH-1 group, there is an imbalance in the activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), while the activity of the sympathetic and parasympathetic sections of the ANS in patients with EH-2 is strictly balanced.