Spacelabs Healthcare 98000, Operation Manual

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070-2567-03 Rev. A
15-1
15. Advanced HRV
15.1 Advanced HRV Option Overview
The Advanced HRV option allows you to perform comprehensive heart rate variability analysis,
including Enhanced HRV (EHRV) analysis for a selected epoch(s) or the entire Holter recording in
48 hour sections.
HRV analysis is performed on analyzed ECG active in the Pathfinder SL Holter system.
15.2 What is HRV Analysis?
HRV is the variation of R-R intervals exhibited in a sample of ECG. The measurement of HRV
provides a noninvasive measurement of the activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS).
The ANS comprises two basic components:
• Sympathetic, which causes an increase in Heart Rate (HR), as well as enhanced contractility
of the heart
• Parasympathetic, which causes a decreased HR
This phenomenon is also referred to as vasovagal tone or sympathovagal balance. Changes in the
balance of sympathetic/parasympathetic control of HR will result in measurable changes in HRV.
HRV analysis involves two types of analysis:
• Time Domain Analysis
This process involves setting parameters relating to analysis and selecting specific epochs to
be analyzed statistically. After reviewing results of analysis, you may change values of analysis
parameters and then reanalyze using the new parameters.
• Frequency Analysis
This process involves defining the epoch, or epochs, to be analyzed. In single epoch analysis,
only one period is analyzed in the frequency domain. In Multi-Epoch analysis, successive periods
are analyzed using the same parameters. Time analysis must be completed first before Frequency
analysis may be performed.