Heart Rate Variability as a Noninvasive Sensor for Acute Mental Stress and Cardiac Abnormalities: Comparative Study

The electrocardiogram (ECG) is an essential diagnostic tool with a broad spectrum of clinical applications. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a well-known and widely used indicator for identifying diseases affecting the heart and related systems. Continuous monitoring and appropriate action are crucial for stress management, as mental stress has emerged as a significant health concern in today’s society. An increasing variety of HRV measurements has been created, and HRV has been suggested as a viable option for ecological instantaneous assessment of acute mental stress. However, additional research into the suitable metrics for monitoring the transient change of mental stress is required due to the inconsistent results of previous studies. The proposed study utilizes a noninvasive approach to compare ECG data from a normal sample with those from subjects affected by arrhythmia. The same test was conducted for two subjects (living in different atmospheres), and their mental stress was monitored with different scenarios. HRV analysis serves as the foundation for the comparison. The results are derived from the extraction or calculation of certain aspects of the HRV signal, and a comparison is then performed for the two classes, the cardiac and the normal samples. This work proposes an experimental demonstration of the ECG signal and verification with BIOPAC.