The heart is henceforth considered as a simple pump with function to ensure blood circulation. Recent studies have shown that the heart is endowed with intelligence and that it communicates with the brain and influences its functioning through the nervous pathways vegetative. These discoveries orient research towards variability heart rate, (Heart Rate Variability « HRV ») which is the study of instantaneous variations in heart rate, a marker of the balance of the ortho-parasympathetic balance of the vegetative (autonomic) nervous system.
Many health fields have benefited from the reports of the study of this variability: evaluation of cardiovascular risks, prediction of certain critical events (sudden death, epileptic seizure, etc.), assessment and management of stress and others.
This book offers an overview of these areas of interest. It is intended for health professionals as well as all those who seek to improve the quality of their life.