title: Hypoxia and cardiac arrhythmias in breath-hold divers during voluntary immersed breath-holds.
abstract: The incidence and nature of cardiac arrhythmias during static apnea were studied by monitoring the electrocardiogram (ECG) and oxygen saturation (SaO(2)) of 16 recreational breath-hold divers. All subjects completed a maximal apnea with a mean (+/-SD) breath-hold duration of 281 (+/-73) s without clinical complications. Both heart rate (HR) and SaO(2) decreased significantly with breath-hold duration. The decline in SaO(2) was inversely related to the decline in HR (r = -0.55, P < 0.05). Cardiac arrhythmias (supraventricular and ventricular premature complexes, right bundle branch block) occurred in 12/16 (77%) subjects and were related to breath-hold duration. Subjects with atrial premature complexes (n = 9) had a reduced BMI (P = 0.016) and a higher decline of the terminal SaO(2) (P = 0.01). In conclusion, ectopic arrhythmias were common during maximal static apneas for training purposes. The results indicate that the occurrence of ectopic beats is associated with individual factors such as the tolerable SaO(2) decrease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine, Medical Clinic and Policlinic, University of Tuebingen, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hansel
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Solleder
authors.forename: Wilfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gfroerer
authors.forename: Claus M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Muth
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Paulat
authors.forename: Perikles
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Hans-C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Heitkamp
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niess
authors.forename: Kay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tetzlaff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004242:Diving / Q000502:physiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000378:metabolism