Effect of Acute Mental Stress on Heart Rate and QT Variability in Postmyocardial Infarction Patients. (15th July 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Magrì, Damiano; Piccirillo, Gianfranco; Quaglione, Raffaele; Dell'Armi, Annalaura; Mitra, Marilena; Velitti, Stefania; Di Barba, Daniele; Lizio, Andrea; Maisto, Damiana; Barillà, Francesco
• Other Names: Aalto-Setala K. Academic Editor.; Nakamura K. Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: ISRN cardiology. Volume 2012(2012)
• Publication Date: 2012-07-15
• Subjects: Cardiovascular system -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cardiovascular system -- Diseases; Periodical; Periodicals; Fulltext; Internet Resources; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.1
• DOI: 10.5402/2012/912672
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2090-5580

Abstract

Abstract : Emotionally charged events are associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). In this study we assessed RR and QT variability index (QTVI) at baseline during anger recall test (AR). We calculated QTVI from a 5-min ECG recording and from a 10-beats segment around the presumed maximum sympathetic activation in thirty post-myocardial infarction patients under β -blocker therapy and 10 controls underwent. In all groups, the low-frequency component of RR and SBP increased during AR. In all recordings, the QTVI calculated on a 5-min ECG recording and the QTVI 10 beats were higher in patients than in controls ( P < 0.05). The QTVI during AR remained unchanged from baseline within each group. Conversely, during AR, the QTVI 10 beats in controls diminished significantly ( P < 0.05) from baseline whereas in patients remained unchanged. The inability to buffer an acute stress-induced increase in sympathetic activity could explain why events charged with acute stress are associated with an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias in this setting of patients and support the role of cognitive behavior stress management strategies.