Abstract
Introduction: The Valsalva maneuver (VM) is used widely to quantify the sensitivity of the vagal baroreflex loop (vagal baroreflex sensitivity, BRS_v), but most studies have focused on the heart rate (HR) response to blood pressure (BP) decrement (BRS_v↓), even though the subsequent response to an increment in BP after the VM (BRS_v↑) is important and different. Methods: We evaluated recordings of HR and BP in 187 normal subjects during the VM and determined both BRS_v↑, as determined by relating HR to the BP increase after phase III and BRS_v↓. Results: BRS_v↑ was related inversely to age. In addition, BRS_v↓, age, and magnitude of phase IV were independent predictors of BRS_v↑ in a multivariate model, accounting for 47% of the variance of BRS_v↑. Conclusions: The results indicate that both BRS_v↑ and BRS_v↓ become blunted with increasing age and that these indices relate to each other.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 535-540 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Muscle and Nerve |
Volume | 50 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 1 2014 |
Keywords
- Age
- Baroreflex sensitivity
- Blood pressure
- Normal subject
- Valsalva maneuver
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physiology
- Clinical Neurology
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
- Physiology (medical)