Cardiovascular changes during maximal breath-holding in elite divers.
During maximal breath-holding six healthy elite breath-hold divers, after an initial "easy-going" phase in which cardiovascular changes resembled the so-called "diving response", exhibited a sudden and severe rise in blood pressure during the "struggle" phase of the maneuver. These changes may represent the first tangible expression of a defense reaction, which overrides the classic diving reflex, aiming to reduce the hypoxic damage and to break the apnea before the loss of consciousness.
Guaraldi
Pietro
P
Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche, Alma Mater Studiorum-Università di Bologna, Italy. pietro.guaraldi@unibo.it
Serra
Maria
M
Barletta
Giorgio
G
Pierangeli
Giulia
G
Terlizzi
Rossana
R
Calandra-Buonaura
Giovanna
G
Cialoni
Danilo
D
Cortelli
Pietro
P
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000328:Adult; D001049:Apnea / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D004242:Diving / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012119:Respiration