Correlates of Heart Rate Recovery over 20 Years in a Healthy Population Sample

Introduction: Slow HR recovery (HRR) from a graded exercise treadmill test (GXT) is a marker of impaired parasympathetic reactivation that is associated with elevated mortality. Our objective was to test whether demographic, behavioral, or CHD risk factors during young adulthood were associated with the development of slow HRR. Methods: Participants from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study underwent symptom-limited maximal GXT using a modified Balke protocol at baseline (1985�1986) and 20-yr follow-up (2005�2006) examinations. HRR was calculated as the difference between peak HR and HR 2 min after cessation of the GXT. Slow HRR was defined as 2-min HRR