Heart rate and longevity

Abstract

Background: Living longer has been a challenge for science, especially in recent years. There are several lines of research that aim to provide new knowledge that can promote the increase in human longevity. Among these lines, studies on resting heart rate (RHR) have drawn attention because when RHR is maintained at values close to 60 bpm, is an important factor associated with greater longevity. Aim: To show that the low RHR is positively related to lower mortality from cardiovascular diseases and diseases caused by other factors. Methods: A threedecade retrospective analysis was performed from the main articles in which the relationship between resting heart rate and longevity was studied. Results: All studies reveal that in healthy people and in patients with certain illnesses, lower resting heart rate values provide greater longevity. Also, studies confirm that the practice of aerobic physical exercises performed regularly and mental relaxation are the most effective procedures to decrease RHR in a non-pharmacological way. The physiologic effect of reducing RHR appears to be an increase in parasympathetic tone, especially in the case of yoga, and a decrease in intrinsic HR by mechanisms not yet been fully understood. Conclusions: With the new results from important studies that confirmed this new possibility of increasing longevity, health professionals should be concerned with paying more attention to monitoring their patients’ RHR towards interfering whenever necessary.