Evaluation of Association Between Hyperlipidemia and Heart Rate Variability in Subjects Without Apparent Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract

Introduction: There is limited data in the literature regarding the association between hyperlipidemia and heart rate variability (HRV). The aim of the present study is to investigate the association between HRV and hyperlipidemia by retrospectively evaluating the recordings of subjects free of any apparent cardiovascular or systemic disease. Patients and Methods: Medical records of patients to whom 24 hour-Holter recording was performed in our clinic between January 2012 and May 2013 were retrospectively examined. Data of subjects who were determined to be free of any cardiovascular or systemic disease were used in the analysis. Results: Data of 37 subjects were used. There were 20 subjects with hyperlipidemia (10 male, age: 44.5 ± 11.1 years) and 17 subjects with normal lipid profi le (5 male, age: 33.4 ± 10.6 years; p= 0.18 for gender and p=0.004 for age). Majority of HRV parameters were found to be signifi cantly depressed in group with hyperlipidemia; however, there were no signifi cant difference between groups regarding prevalence of arrhythmias. Out of components of the lipid profi le, linear regression analysis revealed serum triglyceride level to be independently associated variable with RMSSD, PNN50 and LF/HF ratio (in respective order; beta=-0.40, p= 0.02; beta=-0.41, p= 0.012 and beta=-0.31, p= 0.05). Conclusion: Subjects with hyperlipidemia were observed to have signifi cantly depressed HRV compared to subjects with normal lipid profi le in our retrospective study. Based on our observations, it may be suggested that patients with hyperlipidemia, in particular with hypertriglyceridemia display higher subtle cardiac sympathetic activity which may be associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Ten-Second Heart Rate Variability, Its Changes Over Time, and the Development of Hypertension

“…21,22 Reduced HRV is independently associated with CVD risk factors, such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking, and obesity. 9,[23][24][25] Dysregulation of autonomic function has also been implicated in the development of hypertension, and evidence suggests that reduced HRV is linked to an increased risk of hypertension. [26][27][28][29] In the Framingham Heart Study, a cross-sectional analysis revealed that several measurements of both timeand frequency-domain indices of HRV from 2 hours of ambulatory heart rate recordings were significantly lower P=0.005 for the overall interaction between age and RMSSD quintiles for hypertension (multivariable-adjusted Model 1).…”