Dhaka, Oct. 25 -- How quickly the heart rate returns to normal after exercise may offer clues about a person's cardiovascular health and risk of death, according to the BBC.

The heart rate recovery (HRR) test measures the difference between a person's pulse immediately after exercise and their pulse one minute later.

Cardiologist Nieca Goldberg of New York University Grossman School of Medicine says it can help indicate cardiovascular problems, including high blood pressure and the risk of cardiac events.

A 1999 study of 2,400 adults found those with slower heart rate recovery were about four times more likely to die over six years. Later research has linked poor recovery to a higher risk of death from any cause, the BBC reports.

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