Evaluation of neural cardiovascular control through dynamic analysis of 24 hour blood pressure and heart rate

Beat-to-beat computer analysis of 24-h blood pressure and heart rate variability has shown that: (1) central neural influences are among the major determinants of the changes in blood pressure and heart rate over the 24 h; (2) blood pressure and heart rate variabilities are influenced by arterial baroreceptor reflexes; and (3) Neural influences on the cardiovascular system are among the determinants of the rhythmic components of blood pressure and heart rate fluctuations whose frequency ranges between 0.035 and 0.35 Hz. The analysis was performed through a global assessment of blood pressure variability, as provided by the standard deviation of the mean blood pressure value, and through the identification of different components of variability phenomena. The latter include both transient changes and rhythmic oscillations which are known to occur over a 24-h time period.