Physical Activity and Heart Rate Variability in Older Adults

Abstract

Background Cardiac mortality and electrophysiologic dysfunction both increase with age. Heart rate variability (HRV) provides indices of autonomic function and electrophysiology that are associated with cardiac risk. How habitual physical activity (PA) among older adults prospectively relates to HRV, including nonlinear indices of erratic sinus patterns, is not established. We hypothesized that increasing levels of both total leisure-time activity and walking would be prospectively associated with more favorable time-domain, frequency-domain, and nonlinear HRV measures in older adults. Methods and Results We evaluated serial longitudinal measures of both PA and 24-hour Holter HRV over 5 years among 985 older US adults in the community-based Cardiovascular Health Study. After multivariable adjustment, greater total leisure-time activity, walking distance, and walking pace were each prospectively associated with specific, more favorable HRV indices, including higher 24-hour standard-deviation-of-all-normal-to-normal-intervals (SDNN, p-trend=0.009, 0.02, 0.06, respectively) and ultra-low-frequency-power (p-trend=0.02, 0.008, 0.16, respectively). Greater walking pace was also associated with higher short-term-fractal-scaling-exponent (p-trend=0.003) and lower Poincare ratio (p-trend=0.02), markers of less erratic sinus patterns. Conclusions Greater total leisure-time activity, as well as walking alone, were prospectively associated with more favorable and specific indices of autonomic function in older adults, including several suggestive of more normal circadian fluctuations and less erratic sinoatrial firing. Our results suggest potential mechanisms that might contribute to lower cardiovascular mortality with habitual PA later in life.

Resting heart rate, heart rate variability and functional decline in old age

“…It is well established that physical activity is a key contributor in autonomic regulation and is linked with preservation of functional status. 32,33 However, future studies are needed to test the influence of physical activity on functionality through autonomic regulation in older adults.…”

Autonomic nervous system dysfunction in psychiatric disorders and the impact of psychotropic medications: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…231,232 We controlled for many of these methodological differences in our study selection and assessed the risk of bias from variation in these measures in our quality assessment. Given the association between phys ical activity and HRV 233,234 and the higher rates of sedentary activity in psychiatric populations associated with greater risk for cardiovascular disease, 235,236 measurement of habitual physical activity levels and body mass index is important. Reporting of other factors known to modify HRV, such as caffeine, 237 nicotine 238 and alcohol intake, 239 was also inconsistent among studies and was therefore unable to be collated for moderator analysis.…”

Are Changes in Heart Rate Variability in Middle‐Aged and Older People Normative or Caused by Pathological Conditions? Findings From a Large Population‐Based Longitudinal Cohort Study

“…Evidence of ethnic differences in changes in HRV over time is limited. Finally, physical activity has been proposed as a further important determinant of HRV 29. Maintenance of physical activity as part of the aging process may have a positive effect on the rate of change in HRV over time.…”