Statistical methods for early prediction of malignant cardiac arrhythmias onset

Heart rate variability (HRV), the variation over time of the period between consecutive heartbeats (RR intervals), is pre-dominantly dependent on the autonomic regulation of the heart rate. By means of a suitable statistical analysis and using a battery of indicators calculated from the RR signal (summarizing its properties both in time and frequency domain, as well as its degree of structural complexity), we will show that it is possible to distinguish, with high sensitivity and specificity, healthy subjects from those which are at high risk of developing malignant cardiac arrhythmias.