Relationship between 24 hr-data of Heart-rate and the Type of Daily Physical Activities in Disabled Elderly Patients at Home with Cerebral Vascular Accidents

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to clarify the 24 hr-data of heart-rate characteristics in disabled elderly persons at home, and to prove the relationship between time in a sitting posture and the 24 hr-data of heart-rate, and the relationship between the type of daily physical activities and the same heart-rate data. Twenty disabled elderly patients with CVA (the mean age of 73.9 ± 5.3 years) and ten healthy elderly individuals (the mean age of 73.3 ± 3.2 years) participated in this study, who were living at home. 1) 24-hr heart-rate, 2) daily physical activities, and 3) the type of such activities were measured.
The results indicated the following: 1) the mean heart rate in sleep was higher and the rate of increase in heart rate while awake was lower than those of the healty elderly persons, 2) the rate of increase in heart rate while awake increased with the increase in time in a sitting posture, 3) the rate of increase in heart rate while awake increased with the expanding variety of daily physical living activities. We concluded that when exercise is prescribed for disabled elderly at home, we should note the mean heart rate in sleep. And the rate of increase of heart beat while awake can be used as an indicator for the level of physical activity. The longer duration of the sitting posture and the increase in the variety of daily physical activities are effective means to increase the overall physical activity level.