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| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Reduced vagal activity in salt-sensitive subjects during mental challenge |
| Creators Name: | Buchholz, K., Schaechinger, H., Wagner, M., Sharma, A.M. and Deter, H.C. |
| Abstract: | Background: Salt-sensitive normotensive men exhibit an enhanced pressor and heart rate (HR) response to mental stress. Stress-induced HR acceleration may result from sympathetic activation or vagal withdrawal. We studied the importance of vagal withdrawal for the increased stress responsiveness of salt-sensitive subjects. Methods: We studied cardiovascular reactivity to mental challenge in 17 salt-sensitive healthy white male students and 56 salt-resistant control subjects who were comparable with respect to age, body mass index, and physical fitness. Salt sensitivity was determined by a 2-week dietary protocol (20 mmol v 240 mmol sodium/day). Mental stress was induced by a computerized information-processing task (manometer test). Electrocardiogram and finger blood pressure (BP; Finapres, Ohmeda, Louisville, CO) were registered continuously to determine HR and interbeat-interval length. Time and frequency domain (spectral power) based measures of respiratory-related heart rate variability (HRV) were calculated to estimate vagal cardiac control; diastolic BP reactivity was assessed to estimate peripheral sympathetic effects. Results: Stress-induced increase in HR was higher in salt-sensitive than in salt-resistant subjects. Salt-sensitive subjects, in comparison to salt-resistant subjects, showed significantly reduced respiratory-related HRV during baseline and mental stress conditions (P < .01). The increase in diastolic BP during mental challenge was significantly greater in salt-sensitive subjects (P < .05). Conclusions: Our findings suggest reduced vagal and increased sympathetic tone during mental challenge in salt-sensitive subjects. Altered autonomic nervous system function may contribute to later development of hypertension in salt-sensitive individuals. |
| Keywords: | Heart Rate Variability, Vagal Activity, Mental Stress, Sodium-Dependent Hypertension, Blood Pressure |
| Source: | American Journal of Hypertension |
| ISSN: | 0895-7061 |
| Publisher: | Elsevier |
| Volume: | 16 |
| Number: | 7 |
| Page Range: | 531-536 |
| Date: | July 2003 |
| Official Publication: | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0895-7061(03)00905-1 |
| PubMed: | View item in PubMed |
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