Noninvasive measurement of baroreflex sensitivity. A better indicator of cardiac vagal tone than heart rate variability?

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is an important prognostic indicator, particularly in post-infarction patients. Moreover, it can be noninvasively measured. However, it has recently been suggested that Baroreflex Sensitivity (BRS) might be a better prognostic indicator than HRV. The explanation of the predictive power of both these parameters is that they reflect cardiac vagal tone, known to influence the electrical stability of the heart. The authors present a method of measuring BRS which is completely noninvasive. Moreover, the authors have compared HRV and BRS in their ability to provide an indication of cardiac vagal tone