title: Protective effect of metoprolol on arrhythmia and heart rate variability in healthy people with 24 hours of sleep deprivation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sleep deprivation, which is a strong stressor, can greatly affect the cardiovascular system of rescue workers. This study aimed to investigate the effect of 24-h sleep deprivation on heart rate variability (HRV) in young healthy people and the protective effect of metoprolol on arrhythmia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty young, healthy subjects (6 women and 54 men), aged 25 ± 4.5 years, were enrolled in this study. All participants received 24-h continuous ambulatory electrocardiogram monitoring. Arrhythmia, time, and frequency domain parameters were analyzed in subjects at the following three stages: normal sleep stage, sleep deprivation stage, and metoprolol treatment before sleep deprivation stage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 24-h sleep deprivation, the high frequency (HF) of HRV was significantly decreased (p < 0.05), low frequency (LF) was remarkably increased (p < 0.05), and LF/HF was significantly increased compared with those in normal sleep (p < 0.05). Some subjects presented with mild palpitation due to premature atrial complexes and premature ventricular complexes. At the metoprolol treatment stage, compared with the sleep deprivation stage, LF and LF/HF were significantly reduced, HF of HRV was elevated (p < 0.05), and the total amount of premature atrial and ventricular complexes was decreased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The underlying mechanism of arrhythmia and HRV alteration after 24-h sleep deprivation could be attributable to lower vagal activity and elevated sympathetic activity. Metoprolol improves the change in autonomic nervous system activity after 24-h sleep deprivation, which may be responsible for its protective role on arrhythmia in healthy subjects undergoing sleep deprivation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology (South Building), PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wei-ren
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiang-min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Ting-shu
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Li-chao
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Ling-geng
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008790:Metoprolol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012016:Reference Values; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D008790:Metoprolol