Changes of autonomic nervous function in elderly patients with coronary heart disease accompanying anxiety or depression / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the changes of autonomic nervous function in elderly patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) accompanying anxiety or depression, and to explore their clinical significance. Methods The 85 elderly inpatients with CHD, diagnosed by selective coronary angiography, were divided into anxiety group (32 cases), depression group (28 cases) and control group (simple CHD without anxiety or depression, 25 cases). The heart rate variability (HRV) was analyzed according to electrocardiograph detected by dynamic cardiograms. Results Compared with the controls, the standard deviation of normal to normal intervals (SDNN), the rate mean square of the differences of successive RR intervals (rMSSD), the percentage of RR intervals differing ＞ 50 ms (PNN50) and the high frequency (HF) decreased markedly in patients with CHD accompanying anxiety or depression, and the low frequency (LF) increased significantly in anxiety group than in control group [(348. 2 ± 70. 6) Hz vs. (295.4+70.0) Hz, t=2.78,P＜0.05], while the HF decreased significantly [(65. 5±14. 4) Hz vs. (77.9± 13. 7) Hz, t=3.16,P＜0. 05]. There were no significant differences between the anxiety group and depression group in the corresponding parameters. Conclusions The injury of vagus nerve function, also autonomic nerve system dysfunction are more seriously in patients with CHD accompanying anxiety or depression than with simple CHD. Actively treating patients with CHD accompanying anxiety or depression may improve their prognosis.