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Sex differences in cardiac responses to breath holding during dynamic and isometric exercises

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Summary

In twelve subjects (six women and six men) the effects of breath holding (BH) were studied during two work levels of dynamic (30 and 50% \(\dot V\)O2 max) and static (30 and 50% MVC) exercise. Ventilation, heart rate and arterial blood pressure were measured before, during and after BH, performed after 30 s work and after 4 min work. Several criteria were used for heart rate data analysis. For all experimental conditions a slight elevation of blood pressure and a decrease of heart rate were observed during each BH. The bradycardia observed during BH was most marked at the end of BH, but during BH some subjects showed a heart rate increase. This tachycardia was more important during static work (women +12.5±2.1%∶men +8.8±2.7%) than during dynamic work (women +3.4±1.5%∶men +0.25±1.5%). Decrease in heart rate was more marked during dynamic work (women −17.9±1.4%∶men −30.8±5.5%) than for sustained isometric contraction (women −12.1±3.4%∶men −17.4±0.7%). Moreover, for the two levels of static exercise studied, sex differences in the heart rate pattern during BH were observed. Men showed a bradycardia at the onset of BH with a greater decrease of HR at the end of BH, whereas in women HR fell only at the end of BH.

The results could be explained by a sympathetic-parasympathetic interaction at cardiac level.

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  1. Laboratoire de Physiologie du Travail, C.N.R.S., 91, Boulevard de l'HÔpital, F-75634, Paris Cédex 13, France

    J. Sánchez & Ph. Sébert

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  1. J. Sánchez
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  2. Ph. Sébert
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Sánchez, J., Sébert, P. Sex differences in cardiac responses to breath holding during dynamic and isometric exercises. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 50, 429–444 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00423249

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