Summary
Pre-operative HRV assessment shows promise for predicting post-surgical complications. Lower pre-operative HRV is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events and longer hospital stays.
Methods
Systematic review and pilot studies of pre-operative HRV
Key Findings
- Lower pre-op HRV associated with more complications
- HRV + age model achieved AUC of 0.98 for CV complications
- Post-operative HRV also predicts outcomes
- May help identify high-risk patients for closer monitoring
- Potential for personalized perioperative care
Limitations
Not yet standard of care, more validation needed
What This Means for You
If you're planning surgery, optimizing your HRV beforehand through exercise, sleep, and stress management (prehabilitation) may improve your resilience and outcomes.
Source
Read the original paper in PLoS One ↗
Added to HRV Zone: 2025-01-10