Exploring factors associated with interictal heart rate variability in patients with medically controlled focal epilepsy

People with epilepsy have autonomic dysfunction and a significantly higher premature mortality rate than the healthy controls. [1, 2] Heart rate variability (HRV), a marker of autonomic function, reflects the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic activities. [3] HRV parameters are a useful objective marker of physiological stress. It measures the changes in time intervals between consecutive heartbeats. [4] Increased HRV indicates an increased parasympathetic activity, whereas decreased HRV indicates increased sympathetic activity.

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