Cardiovascular disease, risk factors, and heart rate variability in the general population

The results of studies into the prognostic value of heart rate variability (HRV) for cardiac and all0022-0736/$ – see fro doi:10.1016/j.jelectroc 4 Corresponding E-mail address: j. cause mortality in the general population are briefly reviewed, and the effect of various recording durations of the electrocardiogram (ECG) on HRV parameters is assessed. Heart rate variability parameters offer prognostic information beyond that of traditional risk factors. In the elderly, increased HRV measured on a 10-second ECG is an even stronger indicator of cardiac death than decreased HRV. Estimated of HRVobtained from 10-second ECGs have moderate to poor correlation with those from 5or 20-minute ECGs. D 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.