Overweight, dyslipoproteinemia, and heart rate variability measures.

Unlabelled: Chronic stress could be a risk factor triggering, aggravating or causing overweight, dyslipoproteinemia and coronary artery disease.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the association between stress assessed by heart rate variability measures, dyslipoproteinemia, and overweight.

Methods: Total cholesterol, high and low density lipoproteins cholesterol and triglycerides were analyzed by enzyme methods; heart rate variability was evaluated using a computer program for analysis of cardiointervals in 47 individuals with dyslipoproteinemia.

Results: Positive correlations were found between heart rate and low density lipoprotein cholesterol, between mental stress and total cholesterol/high density lipoprotein cholesterol, between physical stress and total cholesterol, low density lipoproteins cholesterol, triglycerides and body mass index, and between functional age and health risk, and total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol. The total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol were negatively correlated with the time- and frequency-domain heart rate variability measures. A chronically increased health risk (> 65%) was observed in 15 individuals with dyslipoproteinemia, 11 of them with body mass index exceeding 25.0 kg/m2.

Conclusion: Heart rate variability measures decrease in individuals with dyslipoproteinemia. Decreasing of heart rate variability is induced by the increased activity of the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system under chronic stress effect. Results of our study revealed a significant association between physical stress, serum lipids and overweight and risk of coronary artery disease.