Tool for comparative case studies of heart rate and heart rate variability

Abstract

Heart Rate (HR) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) are recognized and used in identifying and diagnosing different psychological conditions. HRV is also frequently used for diagnosing and monitoring autonomous nervous system. In this paper we propose a tool for analyzing HR and HRV in time and frequency domain, and using geometric analyses as Poincare plots for visualization. Implemented tool is designed to accommodate requirements of contemporary research in this area and extended for comparative analysis of sets of measurements. Case study analyzing correlation between HR measurements and stress levels for students before and after an exam is conducted. Measurements are used to illustrate the benefits of using the tool in creating and managing sets of measurements and their comparative analysis.