About the 5HRV method

Development of the 5HRV framework

The 5HRV framework was developed by Willem Gielen, Cardiologist and Internist, as a practical approach to standardized five-minute HRV analysis in research and education. It is derived from the five-minute HRV teaching presentation and is intended for researchers, healthcare professionals and students working with autonomic function.

Intended use

5HRV is an educational and research-oriented tool for users who wish to apply standardized short-term HRV analysis to recordings. It provides contextual interpretation of heart rate variability measurements using age- and sex-specific reference percentiles. It is not a certified medical device and does not provide treatment advice.

Components of the method

The 5HRV method integrates a standardized supine recording protocol, direct RR-interval measurement with Polar H10, import of existing HRV reports, time-domain analysis using RMSSD, SDNN and pNN50, frequency-domain analysis using HF, LF and LF/HF, and age- and sex-specific reference interpretation using the DanFunD population percentiles.

Scope and boundaries

5HRV provides contextual interpretation of heart rate variability measurements. It does not diagnose autonomic disorders, POTS, cardiovascular disease, ME/CFS, Long COVID or any other condition. Results describe the recording and must be interpreted together with the context in which it was obtained. POTS and other orthostatic disorders require dedicated supine and upright heart-rate and blood-pressure measurements; resting five-minute HRV alone cannot establish the diagnosis.

This application is an educational and research-oriented tool. It is not a certified medical device. It does not provide treatment advice and must not delay or replace appropriate medical care.

Data processing and privacy

All calculations run locally in the browser. During direct Polar H10 measurement, RR intervals are received through the browser's Bluetooth connection and processed locally. Raw RR intervals, entered values and calculated results are not transmitted to the 5HRV server. Results are temporarily retained in the current browser session so the result page can be displayed. No name, identification number or exact date of birth is required.

Authorship

Willem Gielen, Cardiologist and Internist. Reference implementation and explanatory framework adapted from the five-minute HRV teaching presentation.

References

1. Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology. Heart rate variability: standards of measurement, physiological interpretation and clinical use. Circulation. 1996;93:1043–1065.
2. Brinth LS, Jørgensen T, Mehlsen J, et al. Normative values of short-term heart rate variability in a cross-sectional study of a Danish population: the DanFunD study. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. 2024;52:48–57.
3. Billman GE. The LF/HF ratio does not accurately measure cardiac sympatho-vagal balance. Frontiers in Physiology. 2013;4:26.