Heart rate and ventilatory frequency as dimension-dependent variables

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Abstract
Summary Heart rate (HR) and ventilatory frequency (f) were determined at rest in 79 boys and 91 girls aged 0.07–20 years and with a range in heights from 54–198 cm to establish the relationship between decrease in HR and f during early life with increase in body dimensions. From theoretical considerations it is assumed that frequencies such as HR and f are proportional to a characteristic linear dimension of the subjects in minus first power (≂ θ−1). In the present material resting HR and f decreased with increasing height of the subjects according to the equations HR=6,408·height−0.9015 (r=0.8983) and f=5,969·height−1.1691 (r=0.8471). These results suggest that the decrease in resting HR and f during childhood and adolescence corresponds well with increase in body dimensions. A similar equation was developed for HRmax within the range of heights from 149–198 cm. Only a slight dependency on height was observed (HRmax=θ−0.1642, r=0.3796).