Altered short term heart rate variability with spinal cord stimulation in chronic refractory angina: evidence for the presence of procedure related cardiac sympathetic blockade

• Published in: Heart (British Cardiac Society) Vol. 90; no. 2; pp. 211 - 212
• Main Authors: Moore, R, Groves, D, Nolan, J, Scutt, D, Pumprla, J, Chester, M R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Cardiovascular Society 01.02.2004; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; Copyright 2004 by Heart
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; angina; Angina pectoris; Angina Pectoris - physiopathology; Angina Pectoris - rehabilitation; Autonomic Nerve Block - methods; Cardiovascular disease; Chronic Disease; Coronary vessels; Electric Stimulation Therapy - methods; Heart rate; Heart Rate - physiology; heart rate variability; high frequency; HRV; Humans; low frequency; Male; Middle Aged; Patients; Scientific Letters; SCS; spinal cord stimulation; Studies
• ISSN: 1355-6037; 1468-201X
• DOI: 10.1136/hrt.2002.002998

Following this innovation there followed extensive scrutiny of neurostimulation in patients suffering from coronary artery disease, with several observational trials demonstrating the ability of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) to diminish angina, reduce the frequency of hospital admissions, and improve quality of life. Investigation with SCS has revealed a generalised local "field effect" with reduced neural activity mediated by alteration in the balance of inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters. [...]although SCS could alter parasympathetic activity both directly and through interspinal neurons, its dominant influence would be anticipated to be directly through diminution of spinal sympathetic activity.