The Measurement of Heart Rate Variability Spectra with the Help of a Personal Computer

The analysis of fluctuations in heart rate or heart rate variability (HRV) has found applications in, among others, the study of the neural cardiovascular system and ergonomic psychology. In particular, the study of the frequency components of HRV is becoming increasingly important. A method for the computation of HRV spectra directly from the heart beat event series as derived from the electrocardiogram has been developed. Because of the computational efficiency achieved, this method is implemented on a personal computer. Apart from an external QRS detector, a completely stand-alone system is realized. User interaction takes place on a menu card display basis. The system can operate at both real time and up to eightfold increased speed. The resultant spectra are displayed as histograms. Different ways of smoothing and segment averaging are possible.