| The DPA now has an
added software feature that measures Heart Rate
Variability. Decreased HRV implies decreased ability to
respond to changes in the environment. Too much
consistency in heart rate (less variability) is often
associated with dysfunction and disease. The DPA
software analyzes imperceptible changes in the heart
rate waveforms, provides indices and evaluates the
current body condition and activities/balances of the
autonomic nervous system.
Low HRV has been shown in numerous longitudinal
studies to be related to a higher mortality rate in both
healthy and unhealthy subjects. It thus can be shown to
be a strong predicator of all-cause mortality. The heart
is not just a simple pump, but a complex sensory organ
with its own functional "heart brain" that communicates
with and influences the brain via the nervous system,
hormonal system and other pathways.
Research has shown that these influences profoundly
affect brain function and most of the body's major
organs. Science now confirms that stress significantly
increases the risk of heart disease, including sudden
cardiac death. Unmanaged emotional stress is equally if
not more important than physical variables in
determining health outcomes. A conservative estimate is
that 75% of visits to primary care physicians are due to
stress-related disorders.
Cardiovascular-related issues are not the only uses
for the DPA. Psychologists are increasingly recognizing
the importance of HRV. A number of studies have
demonstrated that patients with anxiety, phobias and
post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD) consistently show
lower HRV, even when not exposed to a trauma related
prompt. Importantly, this relationship existed
independent of age, gender, trait anxiety,
cardio-respiratory fitness, heart rate, blood pressure
and respiration rate.
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