Visualization of age-dependent circadian changes in autonomic drive on heart rhythm by network representation of RR-increments

A method is presented which is capable of detailed characterization of the transition probability structure of heart period rhythm. The method is applied to two parts of the Holter recordings, diurnal and nocturnal, of healthy individuals grouped according to their age and gender. It reveals and quantifies patterns of short-term dynamics. This geometrically oriented approach provides a plausible method for distinguishing between healthy and pathological variability.