title: Electrophysiologic effects of mental stress in healthy subjects: a comparison with epinephrine infusion.
abstract: Mental stress has been associated with serious cardiac arrhythmias, including ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. The purpose of this study was to assess cardiac electrophysiologic effects of mental stress and compare them with those of epinephrine infusion. Ten healthy male volunteers participated. Electrophysiologic and hemodynamic variables were measured at baseline, during mental stress produced by Stroop's color word conflict test and during epinephrine infusion at 2 rates (0.025 micromol/kg/min and 0.3 micromol/kg/min). Mental stress produced significant effects on the electrophysiologic properties of the heart with shortening of all measured electrophysiologic variables except atrial, most markedly those of the sinus and the atrioventricular nodes. The effects on the right ventricular myocardium and the His-Purkinje conduction system were less pronounced. During infusion of epinephrine, corresponding effects could only be reproduced at a much higher plasma level. Circulating epinephrine apparently plays a minor role as a mediator of mental stress effects on the heart.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. per.insulander@hs.se
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Insulander
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Juhlin-Dannfelt
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Freyschuss
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vallin
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac; D004594:Electrophysiology; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000187:drug effects; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D012016:Reference Values; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine