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Int J Sports Med 2005; 26(6): 409-413
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-821159
Physiology & Biochemistry

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Heart Rate Responses During a Breath-Holding Competition in Well-Trained Divers

F. Lemaître1 , F. Bernier2 , I. Petit3 , N. Renard4 , B. Gardette5 , F. Joulia6
  • 1Centre d'Etudes des Transformations des Activités Physiques et Sportives (CETAPS), UPRES JE n°2318, Faculté des Sciences du Sport et de l'Education Physique de Rouen, Université de Rouen, France
  • 2Dr en Médecine Subaquatique et Hyperbare, Saint Nazaire, France
  • 3Laboratoire d'Explorations Fonctionnelles Respiratoires et Sportives, Hôpital Gabriel-Montpied, Clermont-Ferrand, France
  • 4Vétérinaire-DEFV, Lyon, France
  • 5Directeur Scientifique COMEX, Marseille, France
  • 6Laboratoire d'Ergonomie Sportive et Performance Motrice ESP, UPRES EA n°3162, UFRSTAPS de Toulon, Université de Toulon et du Var, La Garde, France
Further Information

Publication History

Accepted after revision: May 14, 2004

Publication Date:
27 September 2004 (online)

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Abstract

The diving response elicited by breath-holding (BH) and immersion mainly consists of bradycardia, decreased cardiac output, and peripheral vasoconstriction. These responses reduce oxygen consumption and thereby prolong the duration of the dive. They may also lead to cardiac arrhythmias or hypoxia, however, which in turn may play a role in the occurrence of syncope during BH. The aim of the present study was to analyze the cardiac responses to prolonged breath-holding in elite divers during a competition. Heart rate behaviour and the incidence of arrhythmia were recorded in 16 well-trained breath-hold divers (BHD) using a cardio-frequency meter (for 15 divers) and a Holter (for one diver) during maximal static breath-holding. Anthropometric, spirometric, and training characteristics such as percentage of body fat, pulmonary volumes and years of BH training were also determined. Forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) were higher than the predicted values (+ 7.7 %, p < 0.05 and + 6.6 %, p < 0.05, respectively). During the static BH, divers presented apneic bradycardia (- 44 %) correlated with static BH times (p < 0.05); this was associated with cardiac arrhythmias (supraventricular extrasystoles and ventricular extrasystoles) in the Holter-equipped subject. These results are in agreement with those obtained in laboratory conditions and confirm the existence of cardiac arrhythmias in well-trained BHD.

Key words

Loss of consciousness - heart rate - training

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MCU F. Lemaître

Centre d'Etudes des Transformations des Activités Physiques et Sportives (CETAPS), UPRES JE n°2318, Faculté des Sciences du Sport et de l'Education Physique de Rouen, Université de Rouen

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76000 Rouen

France

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Email: frederic.lemaitre@univ-rouen.fr