Ultra-Short-Term Heart Rate Variability of Home-Monitored Heart Failure Patients: a Case Study

Abstract

This work aims to demonstrate the feasibility of using ultra-short-term (UST) electrocardiographic (ECG) recordings for daily remote monitoring of patients’ cardiovascular variability. Heart rate variability (HRV) parameters, including time, frequency, and information-theoretic domains, were assessed for two patients with advanced Heart Failure with reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF). Significant differences were observed between physiological states, with lower HRV and complexity during HFrEF flare up, indicating heightened sympathetic activation. Moreover, information-theoretic measures outline the possible presence of non linear behaviour in cardiac dynamics of HFrEF patients. These findings suggest that UST HRV analysis from ECG recordings can aid predicting worsening HFrEF conditions as well as identifying patients needing optimized therapy and monitoring physiological stability post-hospitalization.