Abstract
Heart rate variability (HRV), the beat-to-beat variation in heart rate or the duration of the RR interval, is an important clinical and investigational tool. The inter-relationship of neurotransmitters in the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems plays an important role in HRV. Absence of HRV is an important marker of imbalance between the two autonomic systems. Reduced HRV can predict incident hypertension.
Blood pressure variability (BPV) can occur between visits, over a 24-h period, and between visits over the longer term. Significant BPV has been associated with increased rates of stroke, cardiovascular (CV) events and other complications of hypertension. Understanding of the significance of BPV is evolving and more research is needed. Different antihypertensive drug classes may have differential impact on BPV. Calcium channel blockers have shown better efficacy than other drug classes for reducing visit-to-visit BPV.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
MejÃa-MejÃa E, Budidha K, Abay TY, May JM, Kyriacou PA. Heart rate variability (HRV) and pulse rate variability (PRV) for the assessment of autonomic responses. Front Physiol. 2020;11:779.
Heart rate variability: standards of measurement, physiological interpretation and clinical use. Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology. Circulation. 1996;93(5):1043–65.
Blood Pressure Lowering Treatment Trialists’ Collaboration. Pharmacological blood pressure lowering for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease across different levels of blood pressure: an individual participant-level data meta-analysis. Lancet. 2021;397(10285):1625–36.
Höcht C. Blood pressure variability: prognostic value and therapeutic implications. Int Sch Res Notices. 2013;2013:398485. https://doi.org/10.5402/2013/398485.
Rosei EA, Chiarini G, Rizzoni D. How important is blood pressure variability? Eur Heart J Suppl. 2020;22(Suppl E):E1–6.
Shaffer F, Ginsberg JP. An overview of heart rate variability metrics and norms. Front Public Health. 2017;5:258.
Grassi G, Mark A, Esler M. The sympathetic nervous system alterations in human hypertension. Circ Res. 2015;116:976–90.
Song T, Qu XF, Zhang YT, Cao W, Han BH, Li Y, Piao JY, Yin LL, Da Cheng H. Usefulness of the heart-rate variability complex for predicting cardiac mortality after acute myocardial infarction. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2014;14:59.
Chessa M, Butera G, Lanza GA, Bossone E, Delogu A, De Rosa G, et al. Role of heart rate variability in the early diagnosis of diabetic autonomic neuropathy in children. Herz. 2002;27(8):785–90.
Mancia G, Grassi G. The autonomic nervous system and hypertension. Circ Res. 2014;114(11):1804–14.
Julius S, Nesbitt S. Sympathetic overactivity in hypertension: a moving target. Am J Hypertens. 1996;9:113S–20S.
Julius S, Majahalme S. The changing face of sympathetic over activity in hypertension. Ann Med. 2000;32:365–70.
Palatini P, Julius S. Heart rate and the cardiovascular risk. J Hypertens. 1997;15:3–17.
Singh JP, Larson MG, Tsuji H, Evans JC, O'Donnell CJ, Levy D. Reduced heart rate variability and new-onset hypertension: insights into pathogenesis of hypertension: the Framingham Heart Study. Hypertension. 1998;32(2):293–7.
Logvinenko A, Mishchenko L, Kupchynskaja E, Gulkevych O, Ovdiienko T, Bezrodnyi V, et al. Heart rate variability in patients with resistant arterial hypertension. J Hypertens. 2017;35:e223.
Hoshi RA, Santos IS, Dantas EM, Andreão RV, Mill JG, Lotufo PA, Bensenor I. Reduced heart-rate variability and increased risk of hypertension—a prospective study of the ELSA-Brasil. J Hum Hypertens. 2021;35(12):1088–97. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41371-020-00460-w.
Julario R, Mulia E, Rachmi DA, A’yun MQ, Septianda I, Dewi IP, Juwita RR, Dharmadjati BB. Evaluation of heart rate variability using 24-hour Holter electrocardiography in hypertensive patients. J Arrhythmia. 2020;37(1):157–64.
Schroeder EB, Liao D, Chambless LE, Prineas RJ, Evans GW, Heiss G. Hypertension, blood pressure, and heart rate variability: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Hypertension. 2003;42(6):1106–11.
Natarajan N, Balakrishnan AK, Ukkirapandian K. A study on analysis of heart rate variability in hypertensive individuals. Int J Biomed Adv Res. 2014;5:109–11.
Khan AA, Junejo RT, Thomas GN, Fisher JP, Lip GYH. Heart rate variability in patients with atrial fibrillation and hypertension. Eur J Clin Investig. 2021;51(1):e13361.
Yu Y, Xu Y, Zhang M, Wang Y, Zou W, Gu Y. Value of assessing autonomic nervous function by heart rate variability and heart rate turbulence in hypertensive patients. Int J Hypertens. 2018;2018:4067601.
Mori H, Saito I, Eguchi E, Maruyama K, Kato T, Tanigawa T. Heart rate variability and blood pressure among Japanese men and women: a community-based cross-sectional study. Hypertens Res. 2014;37(8):779–84.
Saito I, Takata Y, Maruyama K, Eguchi E, Kato T, Shirahama R, et al. Association between heart rate variability and home blood pressure: the toon health study. Am J Hypertens. 2018;31(10):1120–6.
Koichubekov BK, Sorokina MA, Laryushina YM, Turgunova LG, Korshukov IV. Nonlinear analyses of heart rate variability in hypertension. Ann Cardiol Angeiol (Paris). 2018;67(3):174–9.
Jansson K, Östlund R, Nylander E, Dahlström U, Hagerman I, Karlberg K-E, et al. The effects of metoprolol and captopril on heart rate variability in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Clin Cardiol. 1999;22(6):397–402.
Ma W, Yang Y, Qi L, Zhang B, Meng L, Zhang Y, Li M, Huo Y. Relation between blood pressure variability within a single visit and stroke. Int J Hypertens. 2021;2021:2920140.
Asayama K, Ohkubo T, Hanazawa T, Watabe D, et al.; Hypertensive Objective Treatment Based on Measurement by Electrical Devices of Blood Pressure (HOMED-BP) Study Investigator. Association between amplitude of seasonal variation in self-measured home blood pressure and cardiovascular outcomes: HOMED-BP (Hypertension Objective Treatment Based on Measurement By Electrical Devices of Blood Pressure) Study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2016;5:e002995.
Chen YK, Ni ZX, Li W, Xiao WM, Liu YL, Liang WC, Qu JF. Diurnal blood pressure and heart rate variability in hypertensive patients with cerebral small vessel disease: a case-control study. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2021;30(5):105673.
Mehlum MH, Liestøl K, Kjeldsen SE, Julius S, Hua TA, Rothwell PM, et al. Blood pressure variability and risk of cardiovascular events and death in patients with hypertension and different baseline risks. Eur Heart J. 2018;39(C):2243–51.
Palatini P, Saladini F, Mos L, Fania C, Mazzer A, Cozzio S, et al. Short-term blood pressure variability outweighs average 24-h blood pressure in the prediction of cardiovascular events in hypertension of the young. J Hypertens. 2019;37:1419–26.
Zhou TL, Henry RMA, Stehouwer CDA, Van Sloten TT, Reesink KD, Kroon AA. Blood pressure variability, arterial stiffness, and arterial remodeling: the Maastricht study. Hypertension. 2018;72:1002–10.
Kim JS, Park S, Yan P, Jeffers BW. Effect of inter-individual blood pressure variability on the progression of atherosclerosis in carotid and coronary arteries: a post hoc analysis of the NORMALISE and PREVENT studies. Eur Hear J Cardiovasc Pharmacother. 2017;3:82–9.
Mustafa ER, Istrătoaie O, Mușetescu R. Blood pressure variability and left ventricular mass in hypertensive patients. Curr Health Sci J. 2016;42(1):47–50.
Wang X, Wang F, Chen M, Wang X, Zheng J, Qin A. Twenty-four-hour systolic blood pressure variability and renal function decline in elderly male hypertensive patients with well-controlled blood pressure. Clin Interv Aging. 2018;13:533–40.
Filomena J, Riba-Llena I, Vinyoles E, Tovar JL, Mundet X, Castañé X, et al. Short-term blood pressure variability relates to the presence of subclinical brain small vessel disease in primary hypertension. Hypertension. 2015;66(3):634–40.
Palatini P. Risk of developing foot ulcers in diabetes: contribution of high visit-to-visit blood pressure variability. J Hypertens. 2018;36(11):2132–4.
Levi-Marpillat N, Macquin-Mavier I, Tropeano AI, et al. Antihypertensive drug classes have different effects on short-term blood pressure variability in essential hypertension. Hypertens Res. 2014;37:585–90.
Robinson TG, Davison WJ, Rothwell PM, Potter JF. Randomised controlled trial of a Calcium Channel or Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor/Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Regime to Reduce Blood Pressure Variability following Ischaemic Stroke (CAARBS): a protocol for a feasibility study. BMJ Open. 2019;9(2):e025301.
Webb AJ, Fischer U, Mehta Z, Rothwell PM. Effects of antihypertensive-drug class on interindividual variation in blood pressure and risk of stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet. 2010;375:906–15.
Webb AJ, Rothwell PM. Effect of dose and combination of antihypertensives on interindividual blood pressure variability: a systematic review. Stroke. 2011;42:2860–5.
Ichihara A, Kaneshiro Y, Takemitsu T, Sakoda M. Effects of amlodipine and valsartan on vascular damage and ambulatory blood pressure in untreated hypertensive patients. J Hum Hypertens. 2006;20:787–94.
Rothwell PM. Limitations of the usual blood-pressure hypothesis and importance of variability, instability, and episodic hypertension. Lancet. 2010;375:938–48.
Lacolley P, Bezie Y, Girerd X, Challande P, Benetos A, Boutouyrie P, Ghodsi N, Lucet B, Azoui R, Laurent S. Aortic distensibility and structural changes in sinoaortic-denervated rats. Hypertension. 1995;26:337–40.
Hermida RC, Ayala DE, Mojón A, Fernández JR. Influence of circadian time of hypertension treatment on cardiovascular risk: results of the MAPEC study. Chronobiol Int. 2010;27(8):1629–51.
Hermida RC, Ayala DE, Fernández JR, Mojón A, Smolensky MH. Hypertension: new perspective on its definition and clinical management by bedtime therapy substantially reduces cardiovascular disease risk. Eur J Clin Investig. 2018;48:e12909.
Zhang Y, Agnoletti D, Safar ME, Blacher J. Effect of antihypertensive agents on blood pressure variability: the Natrilix SR versus candesartan and amlodipine in the reduction of systolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients (X-CELLENT) study. Hypertension. 2011;58(2):155–60.
Parati G, Dolan E, Ley L, Schumacher H. Impact of antihypertensive combination and monotreatments on blood pressure variability: assessment by old and new indices. Data from a large ambulatory blood pressure monitoring database. J Hypertens. 2014;32(6):1326–33.
Parati G, Schumacher H, Bilo G, Mancia G. Evaluating 24-h antihypertensive efficacy by the smoothness index: a meta-analysis of an ambulatory blood pressure monitoring database. J Hypertens. 2010;28(11):2177–83.
Omboni S, Kario K, Bakris G, Parati G. Effect of antihypertensive treatment on 24-h blood pressure variability: pooled individual data analysis of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring studies based on olmesartan mono or combination treatment. J Hypertens. 2018;36(4):720–33.
Ogihara T, Saruta T, Rakugi H, Saito I, Shimamoto K, Matsuoka H, et al.; COLM Investigators. Combination therapy of hypertension in the elderly: a subgroup analysis of the Combination of OLMesartan and a calcium channel blocker or diuretic in Japanese elderly hypertensive patients trial. Hypertens Res. 2015;38(1):89–96.
Ogihara T, Matsuzaki M, Matsuoka H, Shimamoto K, Shimada K, Rakugi H, et al.; COPE Trial Group. The combination therapy of hypertension to prevent cardiovascular events (COPE) trial: rationale and design. Hypertens Res. 2005;28(4):331–8. https://doi.org/10.1291/hypres.28.331. PMID: 16138563
Dahlöf B, Sever PS, Poulter NR, Wedel H, Beevers DG, Caulfield M, et al.; ASCOT Investigators. Prevention of cardiovascular events with an antihypertensive regimen of amlodipine adding perindopril as required versus atenolol adding bendroflumethiazide as required, in the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial-Blood Pressure Lowering Arm (ASCOT-BPLA): a multicentre randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2005;366(9489):895–906. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(05)67185-1. PMID: 16154016.
Zanchetti A, Bond MG, Hennig M, Neiss A, Mancia G, Dal Palù C, et al. Calcium antagonist lacidipine slows down progression of asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis: principal results of the European Lacidipine Study on Atherosclerosis (ELSA), a randomized, double-blind, long-term trial. Circulation. 2002;106:2422–7.
Rothwell PM, Howard SC, Dolan E, O’Brien E, Dobson JE, Dahlöf B, et al. Effects of β blockers and calcium-channel blockers on within-individual variability in blood pressure and risk of stroke. Lancet Neurol. 2010;9(5):469–80.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Jadhav, U.M., Kadam, S.A. (2022). Heart Rate Variability, Blood Pressure Variability: What Is Their Significance in Hypertension. In: Ram, C.V.S., Teo, B.W.J., Wander, G.S. (eds) Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease in Asia. Updates in Hypertension and Cardiovascular Protection. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95734-6_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95734-6_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-95733-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-95734-6
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)