Post Ablation and low Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

[Krissy55]

I am a month post ablation and everything went well..

My heart rate is in 70’s consistently from 50’s pre Ablation. But I noticed my HRV is extremely low.

Pre Ablation I was in 30 zone and post ablation it’s dropped from 8-15 .

A good zone is 20-100 and the higher the better .

I thought it is due to heart healing but it’s not increasing and it’s been a month. Today it’s 8.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

[Halfheart]

I had exactly the same experience. HRV (sdnn) used to be around 50mS pre-ablation, but dropped immediately to around 10mS post-ablation. It started to rise slightly after about a year. I haven’t been able to find anything on the internet about it, and my EP had no suggestions.

[Buzby62 in reply to Halfheart]

I have a theory that it may be the bradycardia lows at rest causing the higher HRV rather than the highs and recovery while exercising and the ablation has raised my HR out of bradycardia, at least for now.

Just my thoughts but I may be wrong.

Best wishes

[CDreamer]

Yes, similar to HalfHeart experience. Electrophysiology are just recently becoming interested in HRV. Mine on average is now around 20 but I am old and not very active compared to what I did 10 years ago.

[Buzby62]

Yes, I could have written this post myself. Took the attached information to my 3 months review a week ago, not as low as yours but similar drop. Now they have stopped my meds (Apixaban and Bisoprolol 1.25x2) and my resting HR has been 60s 70s since. Walking up to 140 on the hills.

Click on the screenshot to open up.

Best wishes

HRV and HR

[Krissy55 in reply to Buzby62]

This is interesting! I wonder once of Apixaban if it will climb for me a well! I wish I could get off early than the 3 month standard post ablations. Thanks for responding.

[Buzby62 in reply to Krissy55]

Apixaban is just for anticoagulation , it’s the Bisoprolol beta blocker that drops the HR.

I did have a little bit of a rebound after 3 days off meds, raised BP and HR but seems to be settling hopefully.

[foxglove1]

Hi I am 14 months post ablation and found my HRV by accident. Checked it out and saw it should have been much higher than I too 8-12. Was so concerned that I saw a cardiologist privately who reassured me and advised to keep up with my exercise regime. Stopped checking as stressed me out but by saw it last week and it’s gone up to 22. Still not great but was happy to see the increase. Don’t worry as your early days post ablation. I’ve been doing strengthning exercises with weights for seniors All the best

[Jajarunner]

All I can add is I didn't feel better for 3-4 months so it may take time 🙏

[55zuzanka61]

I was around 60-70 before my third ablation,which was done for atypical flutter and was quite extensive and 5 months after procedure my baseline HR runs around 80-90 with minimal variation. Read somewhere that this can sometimes happen and last up to a year

Jerryczech

[KootenayTrails]

Exactly same HRV issue with me. I’m 10 months post-ablation now and still lower than pre-AF ie Jan 2023, but seems to be climbing (around 28). I also wonder if my higher HRV before AF days, was due more to unhealthy bradycardia rather than fitness level!