title: The effects of acute exercise and increased atmospheric pressure on the hemostatic mechanism and plasma catecholamine levels.
abstract: The hemostatic response to acute exercise and increased atmospheric pressure was studied in 20 healthy male subjects (18-35 yr of age) exercised to volitional exhaustion on a cycle ergometer in a hyperbaric chamber at 3 atmospheres absolute (ATA). As a means of comparison, 6 of the 20 subjects were exercised in the same manner at 1 ATA. Similar increases in fibrinolytic activity (FA), Factor VIII activity (VIII:C), von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag) and plasma catecholamine levels were observed following acute exercise at 1 ATA and at 3 ATA. There were no changes in the levels of plasminogen, antithrombin III, Protein C or Fibrinopeptide A (FPA) with exercise either at 1 ATA or at 3 ATA. In addition, there were no changes in plasma catecholamine levels or any of the hemostatic variables measured when atmospheric pressure was increased from 1 ATA to 3ATA without exercise. These findings demonstrate that increasing atmospheric pressure from 1 ATA to 3 ATA does not alter the exercise-induced changes in hemostasis. Therefore, exercise or physical exertion at 3 ATA for a time period not to exceed 30 min does not perturb the hemostatic mechanism and increase the risk of bleeding or thrombosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Technology, University of New Hampshire, Durham.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: LaCroix
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lavoie
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kintzing
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Waterfield
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000032:analysis; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood*; D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006487:Hemostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D001798:Blood Proteins; D002395:Catecholamines