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Hemodynamic response to hyperventilation test in healthy volunteers
D Alexopoulos1, J Christodoulou, T Toulgaridis
1Department of Medicine, Patras University Medical School, Greece.
Clinical Cardiology
|November 1, 1995
Summary
Prolonged hyperventilation significantly increases heart rate and blood pressure in healthy individuals. These hemodynamic changes are influenced by factors like age, gender, smoking, and hypertension.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Physiology
- Autonomic Nervous System
Background:
- Hyperventilation is known to affect electrocardiograms and cause vasospasm.
- The autonomic nervous system's role in hyperventilation effects is recognized.
- The normal hemodynamic response to hyperventilation remains undefined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define the normal hemodynamic response to prolonged hyperventilation in healthy volunteers.
- To investigate the influence of age, gender, smoking, and hypertension on these responses.
Main Methods:
- 369 healthy volunteers underwent prolonged hyperventilation (30 breaths/min for 5 min) with 10 min recovery.
- Continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring and exercise testing were performed.
- Heart rate (HR), systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP, DBP), and rate-pressure product were recorded.
Main Results:
- Hyperventilation caused an immediate 27.4% HR increase, followed by a decrease. HR dropped 20.1% upon cessation.
- Systolic and diastolic blood pressures increased during hyperventilation, peaking at 5 minutes.
- Younger age, non-smoking status, and male gender correlated with higher HR increase. Non-smoking and hypertension correlated with higher SBP.
Conclusions:
- Hyperventilation induces significant increases in heart rate and blood pressure in healthy individuals.
- These hemodynamic changes are modulated by demographic and clinical factors.
- This study provides a standard for comparing hyperventilation effects in various disease states.