Aging Changes in the Regularity of Hemodynamic Parameters during Six-Minute Walk Test

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of aging on regularity of blood pressure and pulse interval in resting and active conditions. We studied two normotensive subjects groups: young (20 to 40 years, n=23) and elderly people (60 to 80 years, n=23). No differences of gender have been found between young and elderly groups. Beat-to-beat blood pressure was measured by Finapres system during the six-minutes walk distance test. Overall systolic and diastolic blood pressures and pulse intervals regularity were determined. Differences in blood pressure and heart rate regularity were found between age groups. These results show the efficiency of nonlinear methods to characterize cardiac dynamic.