Abstract

Background:
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays an essential role in regulating cardiovascular functions.Heart rate variability (HRV) refers to the variation in the time intervals between consecutive heartbeats. It serves as a non-invasive marker of ANS activity. ANS dysfunction, which can be identified by HRV, can manifest as hypertension.

Aim:
The aim of this study is to compare HRV values between normotensives with and without parental history of hypertension.

Methods:
The study was conducted on 60 normotensives with a history of parental hypertension and 60 subjects without history of parental hypertension in the age range 30–40 years. Subjects with normal sinus rhythm, without any systemic illness, non-smokers, and non-alcoholics were selected. HRV was measured after 5 minutes of rest for 15 minutes. Multiscale entropy analysis was employed and a p value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:
Normotensives with a parental history of hypertension exhibited diminished short-term and long-term HRV adaptability, indicating autonomic imbalance characterized by increased sympathetic activity and reduced parasympathetic modulation. This reveals significant reductions in HRV complexity across temporal scales in the experimental group.

Conclusion:
The results reflect diminished autonomic flexibility and reduced ability to respond to environmentalor physiological demands among normotensives with parental history of hypertension. This could predispose those individuals to hypertension and cardiovascular risks despite normal blood pressure levels.

Key words: Heart rate variability, Hypertension, Parental history of hypertension, Multiscale entropy analysis of HRV