Autonomic Nervous System and its Relevance in the Regulation of Heart Rate Recovery Post Exercise

Abstract

The recording of heart rate variability (HRV) is a strategy for the rapid and non‐invasive evaluation of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) activity. Previous studies have shown a rapid activation of the parasympathetic nervous system at the end of a physical effort and the association of this with the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease. PURPOSE Establish the relationship between recovery heart rate (RHR) after exercise and HRV at rest in apparently healthy men and women. METHODS Quantitative, cross‐sectional, exploratory research conducted in 50 subjects (25 men and 25 women) of 19 ± 2.34 years. Subjects were monitored by continuous electrocardiographic reading all throughout the different activities. The HRV was evaluated at rest for 5 minutes, using time, frequency and non‐linear analyzes, cardiac vagal index (CVI) was calculated using Log10 (SD1*SD2). Subsequently, a physical test of 6 minutes on the bike was performed between 50 and 60% of the maximum reserve heart rate. In the end, the RHR was evaluated every 10 seconds during the first minute. Subsequently, the relationship between HRV and RHR was analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r). RESULTS In all population, mean HR at rest and RHR had an inverse effect, finding the following correlations: 10s (r = −0.35 p = 0.01), 20s (r = −0.37 p = 0.007), 40s (r = −0.40 p = 0.004) and 60s (r = −0.53 p = 0.000). Additionally, in women exist a direct correlation between RHR and CVI been more significant in the following correlations: 40s (r = 0.41 p= 0.044), 50s (r = 0.52 p= 0.008) and 60s (r = 0.59 p = 0.002); however, in men this correlation was not significant. CONCLUSIONS When performing stress tests in apparently healthy people, the decrease of the HR after exercise could be used to evaluate the activity of the ANS, specifically the activation of parasympathetic system demonstrated by the significant correlations between RHR and HR at rest, as well as the correlation between RHR and CVI. Therefore, the activity in the first minute after ceasing the exercise shows that the evaluation of the parasympathetic nervous system could be implemented in the early diagnosis and prognosis of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease. Support or Funding Information The research was funding by the Faculty of Medicine of the Universidad La Sabana with the support of PROSEIM research group. This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.