Heart rate variability and its clinical application for biofeedback

Abstract

The heart rate variability test gives an incredibly accurate view of the autonomic nervous systems and the variableness of the heart. It shows the state of relative health. Heart rate variability shows the correspondence between specific physiological components and the frequency spectrum. The two components are the sympathetic and parasympathetic neural systems, which originate in the brain and effect organs throughout the body. The activity of the sympathetic system is heightened during fight/flight reaction to danger and for such responses as fear, anger and anxiety. HRV biofeedback training offer a more precise method for helping patients to moderate this heightened sympathetic activity that is associated with stress, anxiety, and dysphoric mood. In biofeedback, we simply support these internal pathways with external functions that make it biofeedback sources of information. It is these external feedback paths on your internal biological. There have been small-scale studies that have provided supporting evidence to bolster this hope for HRV biofeedback. Therefore we are performing clinical trials to firmly establish HRV biofeedback as an evidence-based treatment for reducing negative effects or for improving heart health. A number of patients were clinically diagnosed and their ECG data is then fed to the software, which displays the information of the patient on computer screen. It provides evaluating heart rate variability. This will help the individual to self regulate his/Iier own health and growth; thereby providing a very robust biofeedback that can be easily used for diagnosis and communicating process.