Effect of intermittent fasting on cardiovascular parameters of young adult offspring of hypertensive parents

Background: Offspring of hypertensive parents have been reported to have alteration on their sympathovagal balance and have exaggerated response to stressful conditions. Many Christians observe a period of fasting at the beginning of every year, which imposes some stress on their bodies. Objective: This study aims to investigate the effect of 21-day intermittent fasting on some cardiovascular parameters in offspring of hypertensive and normotensive parents. Materials and Methods: Eighty young adults (20­28 years) were divided into equal number of male and female offspring of hypertensive and normotensive parents based on questionnaire. Their body weight, height, waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) were recorded 1 week before the fasting period began and then weekly for 3 weeks, in which they fasted. Results: The weight, BMI, and WC reduced during fasting, but the reductions were not significant (P > 0.05). The SBP and DBP were higher in male offspring of hypertensive parents than all other groups. SBP was also significantly (P < 0.05) higher in males than females before fast and during fast. Fasting significantly reduced the SBP in the male offspring of both hypertensive and normotensive parents. The HR reduced in the females during fast but increased from a lower level in males to a value not significantly different from prefasting level. Conclusion: Fasting reduces the high SBP and DBP in male offspring of hypertensive parents, which is beneficial to their cardiovascular system.

Heart Rate Variability

Over the last few decades; considerable evolutions were made in the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. Interpretive electrocardiography is one of the areas where the progress has been significant. This involves digital recording of cardiac signals at the body surface and subsequent computerized analysis. An important outcome of such analysis is heart rate variability (HRV); which is widely accepted to have prognostic significance in patients with cardiovascular diseases especially after acute myocardial infarction. This is because HRV represents one of the most helpful markers of autonomic balance and hence can predict the tendency to develop fatal arrhythmias. Recently; interest has grown in relating some diseases to abnormal autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity based on HRV studies; for example: hypertension; bronchial asthma; diabetes mellitus; irritable bowel syndrome; anxiety and so many other diseases. This actually reflects the vital role of the autonomic nervous system in maintaining health. Unfortunately; HRV is of little practice; if ever; by Sudanese doctors. Therefore; this review is intended to update the hysiological basis; determinants; common ways of measurements and some important clinical uses of HRV

From Bowditch to Beta-Blockers : Evolution of the Understanding of the Importance of Heart Rate and Myocardial Energetics in Cardiomyopathy

During the past three decades; every aspect of cardiomyopathy has undergone dramatic change. When examining the literature on the physiological aspects of the failing heart; one immediately recognises that South Africa has made a contribution : Brink; Bester and Lochner evaluated the possible therapeutic aspects of the Bowditch phenomenon and myocardial energetics in cardiomyopathy almost four decades ago; at a time when the condition even had another name; myocardiopathy

A Randomised; Controlled; Double-Blind;Cross-over Pilot Study Assessing the Effects of Spironolactone; losartan and their Combination on Heart Rate Variability and QT Dispersion in Patients with Chronic heart Failure : Cardiovascular Topic

Background and objective : The blocking of aldosterone or angiotensin II receptors improves mortality in patients with chronic heart failure. We explored whether combining losartan and spironolactone would have any added benefit on the known surrogate of mortality by using heart rate variability (HRV) and QT dispersion as our endpoints. Methods : We designed a three-phase; consecutive; randomised; controlled; double-blind; cross-over pilot study to assess the effects of losartan alone (50 mg / day); spironolactone (25 mg / day) with angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor and; finally; losartan with spironolactone; on HRV and QT dispersion. We enrolled eight patients (aged 47 to 72 years; mean = 63.7 years); with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II-III heart failure and ejection fraction (EF) 35; in the study at a university-affiliated hospital in Dundee; Scotland. Digital 24-hour Holter recordings were analysed for time-domain HRV and the 12-lead ECG was optically scanned and digitised for analysis of QT dispersion. Evaluations were done at baseline; and at six; 12 and 18 weeks from baseline. Results : Losartan and spironolactone showed statistically significant; favourable effects on HRV; QT dispersion and mean heart rate (p 0.05). Conclusion : The data showed that in these patients with heart failure; the addition of spironolactone to an ACE inhibitor; or the use of losartan on its own; or the combination of losartan plus spironolactone induced a favourable sympathovagal balance. The drugs significantly improved HRV indices and QT dispersion further; and the combination appeared to be safe. However; no significant differences were seen between the effects of each of these regimes on HRV and QT dispersion

The Correlation Between Ultrasound-Measured Fetal Heart Rate and Gestational Age in a Normal Pregnant Nigerian Population

A total of 400 apparently healthy pregnant women with singleton fetuses from Enugu; Southeast Nigeria were randomly selected for the study. The aims of the study are to establish : a normogram for fetal heart rate (FHR) and the relationship between fetal heart rate and gestational age (GA) by 2-D ultrasound. Crown rump length measurement was used for estimating GA in the first trimester while femur length and biparietal diameter measurements were used for estimating GA in the second and third trimesters. Result shows that the normal range of FHR was 120 to 162 beats per minute (BPM). There was a statistically significant negative correlation of FHR with GA in the first; second; third and combined trimesters as the coefficient of correlation; r = -0.652; -0.736; -0.8185 and -0883 respectively. The study shows that a unit increase in GA decreases the FHR by 32; 15; 12.6 and 13 in the first; second; third and combined trimesters respectively. Results suggest that FHR measurement should be done routinely as one of the essential parameters for the assessment of fetal well being by ultrasound