Heart Rate Variability in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Is Related to Vagal Tone
Heart Rate Variability in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Is Related to Vagal Tone
Maarten P. van den Berg , Jaap Haaksma , Jan Brouwer , Robert G. Tieleman , G. Mulder and Harry J. G. M. Crijns
Originally published19 Aug 1997
https://doi.org/10.1161/01. CIR.96.4.1209 Circulation. 1997;96:1209–1216
Abstract
Background Analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) has thus far not been applied in patients with atrial fibrillation, probably because of the presumed absence of any form of patterning of the ventricular rhythm, particularly vagally mediated respiratory arrhythmia. However, such patterning is theoretically conceivable given the function of the atrioventricular node in atrial fibrillation and its susceptibility to autonomic influences.