Aviat Space Envir Md
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Aviat Space Envir Md · Dec 2006
Muscle oxygen supply during cold face immersion in breath-hold divers and controls.
The human diving reflex is characterized by bradycardia, decreased cardiac output, and peripheral vasoconstriction, and has an oxygen-conserving effect both at rest and during exercise. However, the resultant time course and extent of muscle desaturation is unknown. ⋯ These data indicate that TD have an attenuated diving reflex compared with UC at the same breath-hold times (the breakpoint for UC). In addition, muscle desaturation occurs earlier than arterial desaturation in both groups; the fact that this effect was less pronounced in TD suggests a training effect. This study provides further evidence for the oxygen-conserving effect of the human diving reflex in maintaining the oxygen supply of vital organs.