Cor Vasa 2019, 61(1):42-47 | DOI: 10.1016/j.crvasa.2018.08.001

Heart rate variability in atrial septal defect both before and after operation

Vladimir A. Shvartz^a, Anton R. Kiselev^a,b, Olga L. Bockeria^a

^a Bakoulev Scientific Center for Cardiovascular Surgery, Moscow, Russia

^b V. I. Razumovsky Saratov State Medical University, Saratov, Russia

Over the recent decades, study of vegetative influence on the heart and its evaluation as a predictor of mortality due to cardiac problems and development of cardiovascular complications raised a considerable interest. Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis is a simple, noninvasive and safe method to study vegetative regulation of the human cardiovascular system. In the view of some authors, in patients suffering from structural heart defects, a decrease in HRV due to volume overload of the heart may cause elevation of pressure in the heart cavities, possible dysfunction of baroreceptors and can result in vegetative imbalance. During surgery, the neurovegetative homeostasis is extremely vulnerable that makes one think about the surgical stress influence on the autonomic nervous system. Despite numerous studies, there is still no holistic approach in determining the body response to surgical interventions in cardiosurgical patients. Generally, decreased heart rate variability after cardiac surgery gradually restores in the postoperative period within several months. This article is a literature review of the data on the characteristics of HRV in patients with atrial septal defect (ASD), as well as the regularities of its dynamics after surgical and X-ray endovascular correction of the defect. The article also highlights possible pathophysiology of these vegetative abnormalities.

Keywords: Atrial septum defect, Cardiovascular system, Children, Heart rate variability, Mortality, Neurovegetative homeostasis, Vegetative abnormalities

Received: July 11, 2018; Accepted: August 3, 2018; Published: March 21, 2019  Show citation