The nature of very low frequency component of the heart rate variability and the role of sympathetic-parasympathetic interactions

A method of separate monitoring "instant" changes of the VLF, LF and HF power spectral components of heart rate variability, has been developed. The power of the LF and HF spectral components were proved to be continuously changing. The period of these power fluctuations could stay within 15 to 150 sec. Comparison of the heart rate variability spectrum with LF and HF spectral components power fluctuations' spectrums has shown that the frequencies of the LF and HF spectral components power fluctuations stay within the VLF range. The co-operative spectrum form of these fluctuations repeats the form of the VLF peak. In cases when the LF and HF spectral components power fluctuations' periods do not coincide, VLF has two peaks. The frequency of one VLF peak coincides with frequency of the HF power fluctuations, and the frequency of another--with the frequency of LF power fluctuations.