title: Heart rate and blood pressure time courses during prolonged dry apnoea in breath-hold divers.
abstract: To define the dynamics of cardiovascular adjustments to apnoea, beat-to-beat heart rate (HR) and blood pressure and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO(2)) were recorded during prolonged breath-holding in air in 20 divers. Apnoea had a mean duration of 210 +/- 70 s. In all subjects, HR attained a value 14 beats min(-1) lower than control within the initial 30 s (phase I). HR did not change for the following 2-2.5 min (phase II). Then, nine subjects interrupted the apnoea (group A), whereas 11 subjects (group B) could prolong the breath-holding for about 100 s, during which HR continuously decreased (phase III). In both groups, mean blood pressure was 8 mmHg above control at the end of phase I; it then further increased by additional 12 mmHg at the end of the apnoea. In both groups, SaO(2) did not change in the initial 100-140 s of apnoea; then, it decreased to 95% at the end of phase II. In group B, SaO(2) further diminished to 84% at the end of phase III. A typical pattern of cardiovascular readjustments was identified during dry apnoea. This pattern was not compatible with a role for baroreflexes in phase I and phase II. Further readjustment in group B may imply a role for both baroreflexes and chemoreflexes. Hypothesis has been made that the end of phase II corresponds to physiological breakpoint.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologie, Sezione di Fisiologia Umana, Università di Brescia, viale Europa 11, Brescia, Italy. perini@med.unibs.it
authors.forename: Renza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perini
authors.forename: Adelaide
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tironi
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gheza
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Butti
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moia
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferretti
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000328:Adult; D001049:Apnea / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D017704:Baroreflex; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000503:physiopathology; D004242:Diving; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen