title: Heart rate variability as a clinical tool.
abstract: Power spectrum analysis of cardiovascular signal variability, and in particular of the RR period (heart rate variability), is a widely used procedure for the investigation of autonomic cardiovascular control and/or target function impairment. However, a correct methodology is essential to extract the information embedded in the frequency domain. This article has the main purpose of proposing a still wider clinical use of the spectral methodology. Indeed, with this procedure the state of the sympathovagal balance modulating the sinus node pacemaker activity can be quantified in a variety of physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Changes in the sympathovagal balance can be often detected in basal conditions; however, a reduced responsiveness to an excitatory stimulus is the most common feature that characterizes numerous pathophysiological states. Moreover, the attenuation of an oscillatory pattern or its impaired responsiveness to a given stimulus can also reflect an altered target function and thus can furnish interesting prognostic markers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences L. Sacco, Department of Preclinical Sciences LITA of Vialba, L. Sacco Hospital, University of Milan, Italy. alberto.malliani@unimi.it
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malliani
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Montano
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D006334:Heart Function Tests / Q000379:methods*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology; D011311:Pressoreceptors / Q000502:physiology; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology*