Rl. Hughson et al., SYMPATHETIC AND PARASYMPATHETIC INDICATORS OF HEART-RATE CONTROL AT ALTITUDE STUDIED BY SPECTRAL-ANALYSIS, Journal of applied physiology, 77(6), 1994, pp. 2537-2542
The adaptive responses of the cardiovascular system to altitude appear
to be dominated by increased sympathetic neural activity. We investig
ated the combined roles of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous
systems (SNS and PNS, respectively) in the early (days 4-5) and subse
quent (clays 11-12) phases of acclimatization on Pike's Peak, CO (4,30
0 m), by spectral analysis of heart rate variability. Male subjects we
re randomly assigned to groups receiving oral propranolol (240 mg/day;
n = 6) or a matched placebo (n = 3). On ascent to altitude, the high-
frequency, fractal, and total spectral powers were reduced in the plac
ebo group during days 4-5 and 11-12. At altitude during days 4-5, all
three placebo group subjects increased SNS and decreased PNS activitie
s compared with at sea level, and during days 11-12 SNS decreased and
PNS increased compared with days 4-5. Relative to the placebo group, p
ropranolol caused lengthening of the R-R interval; increases in high-f
requency power, total spectral power, and the PNS indicator; and a dec
rease in the SNS indicator. Total spectral power tended to decrease at
altitude, but there were no effects of altitude on PNS and SNS indica
tors in the propranolol group. The data from the placebo and propranol
ol groups suggest that both the PNS and SNS are involved in the elevat
ed heart rate during the early phase of altitude acclimatization. Chan
ges in heart rate variability during clays 11-12 at altitude must be c
onsidered in light of the possible reductions in sympathetic receptor
number noted in previous studies.