title: Glossopharyngeal insufflation induces cardioinhibitory syncope in apnea divers.
abstract: Apnea divers increase intrathoracic pressure voluntarily by taking a deep breath followed by glossopharyngeal insufflation. Because apnea divers sometimes experience hypotension and syncope during the maneuver, they may serve as a model to study the mechanisms of syncope. We recorded changes in hemodynamics and sympathetic vasomotor tone with microneurography during breath holding with glossopharyngeal insufflation. Five men became hypotensive and fainted during breath holding with glossopharyngeal insufflation within the first minute. In four divers, heart rate dropped suddenly to a minimum of 38 ± 4 beats/min. Therefore, cardioinhibitory syncope was more common than low cardiac output syncope.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital Split, Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Gordan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dzamonja
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tank
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heusser
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Palada
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Valic
authors.forename: Darija
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bakovic
authors.forename: Ante
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Obad
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ivancev
authors.forename: Toni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Breskovic
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diedrich
authors.forename: Friedrich C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Luft
authors.forename: Zeljko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dujic
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jordan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001049:Apnea / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology; D002307:Cardiography, Impedance; D004242:Diving / Q000502:physiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005930:Glossopharyngeal Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007327:Insufflation; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology; D017779:Sympathetic Fibers, Postganglionic / Q000502:physiology; D013575:Syncope / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen