A stepwise psychotherapy intervention for reducing risk in coronary artery disease (SPIRR-CAD) - rationale and design of a multicenter, randomized trial in depressed patients with CAD.

Objective: Depressive symptoms are highly relevant for the quality of life, health behavior, and prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, previous psychotherapy trials in depressed CAD patients produced small to moderate effects on depression, and null effects on cardiac events. In this multicentre psychotherapy trial, symptoms of depression are treated together with the Type D pattern (negative affectivity and social inhibition) in a stepwise approach.

Associations between being overweight, variability in heart rate, and well-being in the young men.

Abnormalities of the autonomic nervous system have been repeatedly shown in hypertension. We studied the associations between being overweight, blood pressure, cardiac vagal tone as measured by variability in heart rate, and well-being in a large cohort of young men. We hypothesised an inverse correlation between body mass index and the variability in heart rate.

Austrian Moderate Altitude Studies (AMAS): benefits of exposure to moderate altitudes (1,500-2,500 m).

Objectives: A considerable part of the millions of Alpine tourists suffer from pre-existing diseases (e.g., metabolic syndrome) and high daily stress levels.

The deep breathing test: median-based expiration-inspiration difference is the measure of choice.

Heart rate variability (HRV) has become an important parameter for the assessment of autonomic function in many areas of medicine. In particular, respiratory sinus arrhythmia measured during the deep breathing test (DBT) is often used. Results are usually expressed in common time-domain parameters.

A pilot study on the effects of heart rate variability biofeedback in patients with depression and in healthy subjects.

Decreased vagal activity and increased sympathetic arousal have been proposed as major contributors to the increased risk of cardiovascular mortality in patients with depression. It was aim of the present study to assess the feasibility of using heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback to treat moderate to severe depression. This was an open-label study in which 14 patients with different degrees of depression (13 f, 1 m) aged 30 years (18-47; median; range) and 12 healthy volunteers attended 6 sessions of HRV biofeedback over two weeks.

The effects of sildenafil on heart rate variability in healthy subjects.

The effects of sildenafil on heart rate variability were investigated in 20 healthy male subjects aged 24 (21 to 32) years (median; range). Subjects orally received single 100-mg doses of sildenafil and placebo under randomized double-blind crossover conditions on 2 separate study days. Time domain measures of heart rate variability were assessed under conditions of relaxed rest, metronomic breathing (6 cycles per minute), and bicycle ergometry before administration of sildenafil and placebo as well as 60 minutes afterwards.

The effects of venlafaxine on autonomic functions in healthy volunteers.

Antidepressants that block norepinephrine uptake may cause unwanted effects on autonomic functions such as reduction of heart rate variability. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study examined the effects of venlafaxine on heart rate variability, vasoconstrictory responses (VRs) of cutaneous blood vessels, and pupillary light reflex in humans. Twelve healthy male subjects aged 23 to 32 years (mean +/- SD, 26 +/- 3 years) orally received 37.

The effects of acetylic salicylic acid on heart rate variability in healthy subjects.

In this placebo controlled double blind cross over study multiple daily dosing with 500 mg acetylic salicylic acid did not influence heart rate variability in 16 healthy male volunteers aged 25 (22-28) years (median; range) to a relevant extent (p > 0.05).

Acute effects of caffeine on heart rate variability in habitual caffeine consumers.

During the last years, heart rate variability (HRV) has become a promising risk factor for cardiovascular events. However, the effect of caffeine on HRV in habitual caffeine consumers has barely been investigated. Therefore, we treated 30 male habitual caffeine users in a randomized double-blinded crossover study design with either placebo, 100 or 200 mg caffeine orally and determined parameters of HRV under resting conditions and metronomic breathing.

Stretching increases heart rate variability in healthy athletes complaining about limited muscular flexibility.

An increase in muscular flexibility, as well as a significant beneficial effect on heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV), was observed in healthy male athletes after performing a standardized 15-minute stretching-program over a period of 28 days. We believe the HRV increase to be due, at least in part, to the improved vagal and/or diminished sympathetic control. Therefore, we recommend stretching as an effective and gentle technique for health protection.

The effects of St. John's wort extract and amitriptyline on autonomic responses of blood vessels and sweat glands in healthy volunteers.

St. John's wort extract is widely used and advertised as a "natural antidepressant" lacking autonomic side effects. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study compared the effects of St.

Effects of olanzapine and clozapine upon pulse rate variability.

Based upon their in vitro receptor binding profiles, the atypical antipsychotics clozapine and olanzapine exhibit cholinergic receptor binding of similar potency. Data comparing the in vivo anticholinergic effects, however, of these neuroleptics upon neurocardiac control are sparse. The goal of this study was to compare the in vivo effects of clozapine and olanzapine upon neurocardiac control by assessment of the pulse rate variability (PRV) in schizophrenic patients and healthy controls.

Short-term effects of intravenous benzodiazepines on autonomic neurocardiac regulation in humans: a comparison between midazolam, diazepam, and lorazepam.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of intravenously applied diazepam, lorazepam, and midazolam on autonomic neurocardiac regulation assessed by standardized measurements of heart rate variability.

Design: Prospective, randomized clinical study.

Setting: University teaching hospital.