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Solar and geomagnetic activity effects on heart rate variability

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Abstract

Investigation into possible space weather hazards on cardiovascular system has been performed. A group of 14 healthy volunteers was examined in the spring of 2009 and 2 healthy persons performed electrocardiograph records for a period of 1 year everyday in the morning and in the evening. Results revealed that heart rate variability (HRV) parameters of the group varied strongly from the day before till 3 days after the registered weak storms during the time of investigation. Blood pressure and subjective psychophysiological complaints increased statistically significantly from 0 day till +2nd day. Heart rate (HR) of the group showed a trend for decrease. It was established that morning measurements were more sensitive to space weather variations in comparison with evening measurements. Both persons with prolonged registrations for a period of year did not reveal graded response to geomagnetic storms with different intensities. Both of them decreased HR during moderate storms, but they increased HR during major storms and on the days before and after these storms. HRV parameters varied significantly on these days.

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Acknowledgments

We thankfully acknowledge the contribution of all volunteers who took part in the examinations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Space Research and Technology Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria

    S. Dimitrova

  2. Department of Physics, South West University “Neofit Rilski”, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria

    I. Angelov

  3. Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria

    I. Angelov

  4. Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria

    E. Petrova

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  1. S. Dimitrova
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  2. I. Angelov
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  3. E. Petrova
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Correspondence to S. Dimitrova.

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Dimitrova, S., Angelov, I. & Petrova, E. Solar and geomagnetic activity effects on heart rate variability. Nat Hazards 69, 25–37 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-013-0686-y

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