title: Cardiac autonomic function in Blacks with congestive heart failure: vagomimetic action, alteration in sympathovagal balance, and the effect of ACE inhibition on central and peripheral vagal tone.
abstract: Cardiac autonomic dysfunction is common in heart disease with or without congestive heart failure, and can cause sudden cardiac death. However, cardiac autonomic abnormalities in non-ischemic (hypertensive) heart failure, which is prevalent in Black Africans is poorly documented. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 32 patients with congestive heart failure, mostly secondary to hypertension (aged 52 +/- 15 years, with ejection fraction of 0.38 +/- 11) and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers (aged 51 +/- 11 years, 14 males/16 females). Cardiac autonomic function was assessed by the Valsalva's maneuver, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (for cardiac vagal tone) and the pressor and chronotropic changes following forearm isometric handgrip exercise and the assumption of upright posture (tests of sympathetic function). The exercise tolerance of the cardiac patients was assessed by the distance covered during 6 min of walking. The Valsalva ratio was significantly lower in chronic heart failure, 1.10 +/- 0.08 compared to the healthy controls 1.47 +/- 0.20 (p<0.001). Specifically, the phase IV bradycardia in heart failure, was significantly attenuated to 650 +/- 121 msec compared to the value of 935 +/- 101 msec in healthy controls (p<0.001). The phase 11 Valsalva tachycardia did not differ between the patients and controls. The respiratory sinus arrhythmia was also significantly reduced in chronic heart failure (p<0.05) compared to controls. Treatment of the heart failure patients with enalapril-digoxin and diuretics by 4 weeks, resulted in a reversal of the autonomic abnormalities. The phase IV bradycardia increased significantly to 798 +/- 164 msec (p<0.01) and the Valsalva ratio to 1.35 +/- 0.25 (p<0.01) and the respiratory sinus arrhythmia increased toward normal. There was close positive correlation between the Valsalva's ratio and the 6 min self paced distance covered (r = 0.44, p = 0.03 ANOVA), and a weak inverse correlation to cardiac size and cardiothoracic ratio (r = -0.31, p = 0.09). This study demonstrates cardiac autonomic dysfunction (especially reduced vagal tone) in Black Nigerians with mainly non-ischemic congestive heart failure. The parasympathetic dysfunction significantly correlates with severity of heart failure. Current treatment reverses autonomic dysfunction to values seen in healthy age matched controls, mainly through augmentation of cardiac parasympathetic activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Cardiology unit, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A Q
authors.initials: AQ
authors.lastname: Adigun
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Asiyanbola
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ajayi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D044383:Black People; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004077:Digoxin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004656:Enalapril / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005665:Furosemide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004232:Diuretics; D004656:Enalapril; D004077:Digoxin; D005665:Furosemide