Healthy hearts are adaptable, and heartbeats exhibit complex variation as they adjust to tiny changes in the body and environment. Mass General Brigham researchers have applied a new way to measure the complexity of pulse rates, using data collected through wearable pulse oximetry devices. The new method, published in Journal of the American Heart Association, provides a more detailed peek into heart health than traditional measures, uncovering a link between reduced complexity and future cognitive decline.
“Heart rate complexity is a hallmark of healthy physiology,” said senior author Peng Li, PhD, of the Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), both founding…