Heart rate monitor

I have a heart rate monitor and associated software. Among other things it
analyses heart rate variation in enormous detail and gives me a lot of
statistics including:-

'Minimum/maximum/average R-R interval'
'RLX baseline'
'Standard deviation'
'SD1'
'SD2'
'RMSSD'
'pNN50'
'VLF'
'LF'
'HF'

Unfortunately it gives no advice on interpretation of the resulting figures.
I've done a bit of searching, and found definitions for these things but
can't find a clear exposition on how to interpret them in terms of
cardiovascular condition. As far as I can make out, there isn't much
agreement on their interpretation, but can anyone point me to a suitably
authoritative source?

TIA

Peter

On Mon, 23 Apr 2007 20:51:58 GMT, "Peter"
<peternorthlondon0001@lycos.co.uk> wrote:

>I have a heart rate monitor and associated software. Among other things it
>analyses heart rate variation in enormous detail and gives me a lot of
>statistics including:-
>
>'Minimum/maximum/average R-R interval'
>'RLX baseline'
>'Standard deviation'
>'SD1'
>'SD2'
>'RMSSD'
>'pNN50'
>'VLF'
>'LF'
>'HF'
>
>Unfortunately it gives no advice on interpretation of the resulting figures.
>I've done a bit of searching, and found definitions for these things but
>can't find a clear exposition on how to interpret them in terms of
>cardiovascular condition. As far as I can make out, there isn't much
>agreement on their interpretation, but can anyone point me to a suitably
>authoritative source?
>
>TIA
>
>Peter

I am not sure how you would use it to judge the condition of your
heart. As you get in better shape you can work harder. But the
harder you work the more your heart rate is going to go up. Even
someone in good shape needs to push themselves to get in better shape.

I have only used them to keep a good pace going. There are charts
which show your target heart rate base on your age. With those charts
you can find out what level you want to be at for different types of
training. It comes in handy for interval type training where you
speed up and slowdown. Or it can just help keep a good pace without
going too fast or slow. I think you can set them to beep if you fall
above or below where you want to be.

The only way I can see to track fitness if it you can calculate in a
constant like a particular course or equipment. If you run it faster
without increasing your heart rate then you have improved.

"Shute" <Shute@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:etfq23lismabq66j0i2donthlfdgn12ijk@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 23 Apr 2007 20:51:58 GMT, "Peter"
> <peternorthlondon0001@lycos.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>I have a heart rate monitor and associated software. Among other things
>>it
>>analyses heart rate variation in enormous detail and gives me a lot of
>>statistics including:-
>>
>>'Minimum/maximum/average R-R interval'
>>'RLX baseline'
>>'Standard deviation'
>>'SD1'
>>'SD2'
>>'RMSSD'
>>'pNN50'
>>'VLF'
>>'LF'
>>'HF'
>>
>>Unfortunately it gives no advice on interpretation of the resulting
>>figures.
>>I've done a bit of searching, and found definitions for these things but
>>can't find a clear exposition on how to interpret them in terms of
>>cardiovascular condition. As far as I can make out, there isn't much
>>agreement on their interpretation, but can anyone point me to a suitably
>>authoritative source?
>>
>>TIA
>>
>>Peter
>
> I am not sure how you would use it to judge the condition of your
> heart. As you get in better shape you can work harder. But the
> harder you work the more your heart rate is going to go up. Even
> someone in good shape needs to push themselves to get in better shape.
>
> I have only used them to keep a good pace going. There are charts
> which show your target heart rate base on your age. With those charts
> you can find out what level you want to be at for different types of
> training. It comes in handy for interval type training where you
> speed up and slowdown. Or it can just help keep a good pace without
> going too fast or slow. I think you can set them to beep if you fall
> above or below where you want to be.
>
> The only way I can see to track fitness if it you can calculate in a
> constant like a particular course or equipment. If you run it faster
> without increasing your heart rate then you have improved.

True, that's the bottom line, but I'm a long term hypochondriac who's just
discovered this whole new dimension of worry-space. LF/HF ratios,
sympathetic/parasympathetic balance as an indicator of underlying damage
etc. etc. wonderful stuff! and just a few years ago I'd have needed a full
electrocardiogram to to achieve this level of anxiety. Technology..you
gotta LOVE it.

"Peter" <peternorthlondon0001@lycos.co.uk> wrote in message
news:LZbXh.58146$aB1.55432@fe3.news.blueyonder.co. uk...
>
> "Shute" <Shute@nowhere.com> wrote in message
> news:etfq23lismabq66j0i2donthlfdgn12ijk@4ax.com...
> > On Mon, 23 Apr 2007 20:51:58 GMT, "Peter"
> > <peternorthlondon0001@lycos.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> >>I have a heart rate monitor and associated software. Among other
things
> >>it
> >>analyses heart rate variation in enormous detail and gives me a lot of
> >>statistics including:-
> >>
> >>'Minimum/maximum/average R-R interval'
> >>'RLX baseline'
> >>'Standard deviation'
> >>'SD1'
> >>'SD2'
> >>'RMSSD'
> >>'pNN50'
> >>'VLF'
> >>'LF'
> >>'HF'
> >>
> >>Unfortunately it gives no advice on interpretation of the resulting
> >>figures.
> >>I've done a bit of searching, and found definitions for these things
but
> >>can't find a clear exposition on how to interpret them in terms of
> >>cardiovascular condition. As far as I can make out, there isn't much
> >>agreement on their interpretation, but can anyone point me to a suitably
> >>authoritative source?
> >>
> >>TIA
> >>
> >>Peter
> >
> > I am not sure how you would use it to judge the condition of your
> > heart. As you get in better shape you can work harder. But the
> > harder you work the more your heart rate is going to go up. Even
> > someone in good shape needs to push themselves to get in better shape.
> >
> > I have only used them to keep a good pace going. There are charts
> > which show your target heart rate base on your age. With those charts
> > you can find out what level you want to be at for different types of
> > training. It comes in handy for interval type training where you
> > speed up and slowdown. Or it can just help keep a good pace without
> > going too fast or slow. I think you can set them to beep if you fall
> > above or below where you want to be.
> >
> > The only way I can see to track fitness if it you can calculate in a
> > constant like a particular course or equipment. If you run it faster
> > without increasing your heart rate then you have improved.
>
> True, that's the bottom line, but I'm a long term hypochondriac who's just
> discovered this whole new dimension of worry-space. LF/HF ratios,
> sympathetic/parasympathetic balance as an indicator of underlying damage
> etc. etc. wonderful stuff! and just a few years ago I'd have needed a
full
> electrocardiogram to to achieve this level of anxiety. Technology..you
> gotta LOVE it.
>

Well I'm glad I don't have that fancy HR monitor. It would crash Windows if
you tried it on me.

Richard

On Tue, 24 Apr 2007 00:14:35 GMT, "Peter"
<peternorthlondon0001@lycos.co.uk> wrote:

>True, that's the bottom line, but I'm a long term hypochondriac who's just
>discovered this whole new dimension of worry-space. LF/HF ratios,
>sympathetic/parasympathetic balance as an indicator of underlying damage
>etc. etc. wonderful stuff! and just a few years ago I'd have needed a full
>electrocardiogram to to achieve this level of anxiety. Technology..you
>gotta LOVE it.

Well if you are just concerned about getting sick or dying I can
certainly describe that. I have seen men huffing and puffing just
walking about. Obesity and an inactive lifestyle are the worse things
for the heart. Except possibly genetics and drug abuse. For most
people a healthy heart will just give them a better lifestyle. You
can feel better and potentially do more things on your own into old
age.

BTW I used to help manufacture catheters for use in angioplasty
surgery. We where cranking out a bout 18,000 per day.