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Influence of combined exercise and gravity transients and apnea on hemodynamics

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Abstract

Hemodynamic responses to combined heavy dynamic leg exercise (hiP), breath holding (BH) and gravity-induced blood volume shifts direction were studied. Thirteen subjects were studied at normal gravity and 12 during parabolic flight, performing 20 s hiP or combined hiP&BH (stimulus period) from a baseline of 30 W at normal gravity (1 Gz+). Heart rate and mean arterial pressure responses to BH were similar between gravity conditions, but stroke volume (SV) differed markedly between gravity conditions: at 1 Gz+ SV was higher [112 ± 16 ml (mean ± SD)] during BH, than during eupnea [101 ± 17 ml (P < 0.05, N = 13)]. In weightlessness the corresponding SV values were 105 ± 16 and 127 ± 20 ml, respectively (P < 0.05, N = 6). Transthoracic electrical conductance (TTC) was used as index for intrathoracic volume. TTC fell significantly during BH. This decrease was attenuated in weightlessness. It is concluded that the transient microgravity temporarily reduces the efficiency of the muscle pump so that the deep inspiration at the onset of the high-intensity exercise and breath-hold period cannot augment venous return as it could during identical manoeuvres at normal gravity.

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Abbreviations

BH:

Breath-hold

CBP:

Continuous arterial blood pressure

CBPD:

Continuous arterial blood pressure device

CO:

Cardiac output

dCO:

Delta cardiac output

dHR:

Delta heart rate

dMAP:

Delta mean arterial pressure

dSV:

Delta stroke volume

dTPR:

Delta total peripheral resistance

dTTC:

Delta transthoracic electrical conductance

ECG:

Electrocardiogram

Gz+ :

Gravity in the head-to-foot direction

hiP:

High power

HR:

Heart rate

loP:

Low power

MAP:

Mean arterial blood pressure

PF:

Parabolic flights

SV:

Stroke volume

TPR:

Total peripheral resistance

TTC:

Transthoracic electrical conductance

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the DLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt), Germany (FKZ: 50WB0426). We thank the European Space Agency for the opportunity for experiments in parabolic flights and DAMEC (Denmark) and CNSystem (Austria) for technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology and Anatomy, German Sport University Cologne, 50927, Cologne, Germany

    Uwe Hoffmann, Tobias Dräger & Ansgar Steegmanns

  2. Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA, 95521, USA

    Thomas Koesterer

  3. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    Dag Linnarsson

Authors
  1. Uwe Hoffmann
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  2. Tobias Dräger
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  3. Ansgar Steegmanns
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  4. Thomas Koesterer
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  5. Dag Linnarsson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Uwe Hoffmann.

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Hoffmann, U., Dräger, T., Steegmanns, A. et al. Influence of combined exercise and gravity transients and apnea on hemodynamics. Eur J Appl Physiol 106, 589–597 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1052-3

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