Cardiac output changes during hyperbaric hyperoxia

Increased ambient pressure and oxygen partial pressure (pO2) influence cardiovascular regulation during diving and caisson work. We measured the cardiac output (Q) in subjects who practiced moderate work at a usual diving depth of 30 m.

In 23 healthy male Navy divers who performed steady state bicycle exercises (100 W workload) in a hyperbaric chamber Q was measured by a CO2-rebreathing technique at normal pressure (100 kPa) and at raised ambient pressure (400 kPa), in a random order. During the rebreathing maneuver the subjects were exposed to pO2 values which theoretically may have reached a maximum value of 87 kPa (normobaric) and 388 kPa (hyperbaric). During the experiments the ambient temperature ranged between 22 and 25 degrees C.

There was a significant decrease of the directly measured Q, heart rate (HR) and the calculated stroke volume at depth when compared with normoxic and normobaric exercise. The decrease of Q amounted to 64% of the normobaric value (8.9 l min-1 versus 13.9 l min-1). The mean HR decreased from 104.7 min-1 (100 kPa) to 94.0 min-1 (400 kPa). The calculated mean stroke volume decreased from 133 ml (100 kPa) to 96 ml (400 kPa).

During hyperoxic hyperbaria the peripheral vascular tonus increases due to the consecutively increased arterial oxygen content. The cardiac output may correlate to the peripheral vasoconstriction and is therefore indirectly influenced by elevation of inspiratory pO2 i.e. during the rebreathing maneuver.