| Author: | Huang, Yin-shuen |
| Title: | A study on heart rate variability in hypertensive and normotensive subjects with normal blood pressure and different levels of anxiety |
| Degree: | M.Sc. |
| Year: | 2007 |
| Subject: | Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations. Heart beat. Hypertension. Blood pressure. Anxiety. |
| Department: | School of Nursing |
| Pages: | viii, 77 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | With decreased heart rate variability (HRV), patients with various medical illness or conditions are at high risk of cardiac and arrhythmic mortality. While studies have documented hypertension is correlated with decreased HRV, controversial findings are obtained from other studies. Thus, HRV can be a potential indicator for health monitoring for people with hypertension only if the fundamental question of whether there is any difference in HRV among those with the same blood pressure (BP) but with different histories of change in blood pressure. There is a paucity of research in this aspect. The aim of this study is to investigate the difference of HRV among diagnosed hypertensives and normotensives with normotension. This is a cross-sectional correlational study with convenience sampling in two public estates to investigate the difference of HRV among diagnosed hypertensive subjects and normotensive subjects with normal blood pressure and how the diagnosis of hypertension, different levels of trait anxiety, age and gender of subjects affect HRV. Inclusion criteria included: (a) male and female adults aged from 61 to 80; (b) having a normal blood pressure with systolic blood pressure lower than 140mmHg and diastolic blood pressure lower than 90mmHg; (c) able to read Chinese or can be communicated with Cantonese; and (d) having no history of psychiatric or neurological diseases. Exclusion criteria included: (a) non-sinus rhythm; (b) history of acute myocardial infarction or arterial coronary disease; and (c) use of b-blocker. Subjects were required to fill in the demographic questionnaire and the Chinese version of STAI-Y in a quiet room with room temperature set to 20-23 oC. HRV scanner was then attached and subjects was asked to rest in seated position on a comfort chair and instructed to breath in a relax manner. Ten-minute HRV recording and blood pressure measurement were taken after subjects rested for 15 minutes. Fifty nine subjects participated in the study, 36 with diagnosis of hypertension (DHT) and 23 without history of hypertension (NT). T test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to test possible differences in HRV between diagnosed hypertension and normotension groups and between different age groups and genders. Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to test possible relationship between HRV and trait anxiety levels, age groups and genders. Results showed no significant difference in HRV parameters between DHT and NT. There was no relationship between HRV parameters and the trait anxiety scores between the two groups; no interactional effect between HRV and ones' attributes (age and gender) was found between the two groups, except male was found to have significantly higher LF/HF than female (p=0.023). This study suggested the change in HRV in hypertensive patients is sensitive to instantaneous BP changes rather than their medical backgrounds. It is suggested that HRV can be worked out to be a non-invasive and sensitive indicator for health monitoring. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b21231199.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 2.85 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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