[Effect of acceleration on pilot-sportsmen during aerial performances]

Cardiovascular responses of sports-pilots to aerobatic maneuvers have been inadequately studied. However many Soviet and foreign authors believe that acceleration effects may seriously deteriorate pilot performance. Our study has shown that cardiovascular changes are to maintain the necessary level of blood pressure in brain and eye arteries. During exposure to +Gz heart rate may be as high as 160 beats/min while during exposure to -Gz it may be as low as 60 beats/min. Pulse photoplethysmography recorded inflight has shown that during exposure to +Gz its amplitude decreases until pulse oscillations disappear, suggesting the development of visual disorders. Pulse photoplethysmography has revealed cardiac arrhythmias in the form of extrasystoles in some pilots. It has also been demonstrated that during flight cardiac arrhythmias can be best detected with the aid of correlation rhythmography.