The roles of muscle afferent activity and central drive in controlling the compromised cardiovascular system of patients with mild chronic heart failure (CHF) during isometric exercise were examined. Blood pressure and heart rate responses were recorded in eight stable CHF patients (ejection fraction 20–40%; age 62±11 years) and in nine healthy age-matched controls during voluntary and electrically evoked isometric plantar flexion and subsequent post-exercise circulatory occlusion (PECO). During voluntary contraction, control subjects had a greater mean increase in systolic blood pressure than patients (42.4±19.2 and 23.0±10.9 mmHg respectively; P < 0.01), but this was not the case during PECO. During electrically evoked contraction, but not during PECO, the CHF group had smaller (P < 0.05) mean increases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure than controls (13.0±5.3 compared with 25.4±14.0 mmHg and 7.6±3.0 compared with 12.9±7.2 mmHg respectively). Intra-group comparison between responses to voluntary and electrically evoked contractions revealed greater (P < 0.05) mean increases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure during the voluntary contraction in both the patients and the control subjects. These data suggest that muscle afferent drive to the pressor response from the triceps surae is low in this age group, both in control subjects and in CHF patients. Additionally, the patients may have a relatively desensitized muscle mechanoreceptor reflex.
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June 2001
Research Article|
May 10 2001
Muscle afferent and central command contributions to the cardiovascular response to isometric exercise of postural muscle in patients with mild chronic heart failure
C. A. CARRINGTON
;
C. A. CARRINGTON
*School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
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W. J. FISHER
;
W. J. FISHER
*School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
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M. K. DAVIES
;
M. K. DAVIES
†Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust, Birmingham B29 6JD, U.K.
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M. J. WHITE
M. J. WHITE
*School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
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Clin Sci (Lond) (2001) 100 (6): 643–651.
Article history
Received:
October 02 2000
Revision Received:
December 18 2000
Accepted:
March 09 2001
Citation
C. A. CARRINGTON, W. J. FISHER, M. K. DAVIES, M. J. WHITE; Muscle afferent and central command contributions to the cardiovascular response to isometric exercise of postural muscle in patients with mild chronic heart failure. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 June 2001; 100 (6): 643–651. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/cs1000643
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