Extreme Hypoxia Causing Brady-Arrythmias During Apnea in Elite Breath-Hold Divers

Introduction: The cardiac electrical conduction system is very sensitive to hypoglycemia and hypoxia, and the consequence may be brady-arrythmias. Weddell seals endure brady-arrythmias during their dives when desaturating to 3.2 kPa and elite breath-hold-divers (BHD), who share metabolic and cardiovascular adaptions including bradycardia with diving mammals, endure similar desaturation during maximum apnea. We hypothesized that hypoxia causes brady-arrythmias during maximum apnea in elite BHD. Hence, this study aimed to define the arterial blood glucose (Glu), peripheral saturation (SAT), heart rhythm (HR), and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) of elite BHD during maximum apneas.Methods: HR was monitored with Direct-Current-Pads/ECG-lead-II and MAP and Glu from a radial arterial-catheter in nine BHD performing an immersed and head-down maximal static pool apnea after three warm-up apneas. SAT was monitored with a sensor on the neck of the subjects. On a separate day, a 12-lead-ECG-monitored maximum static apnea was repeated dry (n = 6).Results: During pool apnea of maximum duration (385 ± 70 s), SAT decreased from 99.6 ± 0.5 to 58.5 ± 5.5% (∼PaO2 4.8 ± 1.5 kPa, P < 0.001), while Glu increased from 5.8 ± 0.2 to 6.2 ± 0.2 mmol/l (P = 0.009). MAP increased from 103 ± 4 to 155 ± 6 mm Hg (P < 0.005). HR decreased to 46 ± 10 from 86 ± 14 beats/minute (P < 0.001). HR and MAP were unchanged after 3–4 min of apnea. During dry apnea (378 ± 31 s), HR decreased from 55 ± 4 to 40 ± 3 beats/minute (P = 0.031). Atrioventricular dissociation and junctional rhythm were observed both during pool and dry apneas.Conclusion: Our findings contrast with previous studies concluding that Glu decreases during apnea diving. We conclude during maximum apnea in elite BHD that (1) the diving reflex is maximized after 3–4 min, (2) increasing Glu may indicate lactate metabolism in accordance with our previous results, and (3) extreme hypoxia rather than hypoglycemia causes brady-arrythmias in elite BHD similar to diving mammals.

Isorhythmic atrioventricular dissociation in an adult with levo-transposition of the great arteries

A 36-year-old woman with levo-transposition of the great arteries presented for a programmed visit. She was asymptomatic and the clinical examination showed no signs of decompensated heart failure. Standard 12-lead ECG showed isorhythmic atrioventricular dissociation. A 24-hour ambulatory recording demonstrated sinus rhythm with intermittent periods of isorhythmic dissociation. This case highlights the association between two rare conditions.

EKG-gyöngyszem: Valsalva-manőver terminálta kamrai tachycardia

Összefoglaló. Egy 78 éves férfi széles-QRS-tachycardiás esetét mutatjuk be. A betegnél a pitvar-kamrai disszociáció igazolta a ritmuszavar kamrai eredetét, amelyet a Valsalva-manőverrel több alkalommal is átmenetileg meg lehetett szüntetni. A szerzők ismertetik a manőver lehetséges patomechanizmusait, illetve felhívják a figyelmet arra, hogy a vagusmanőverre megszűnő reguláris tachycardia nem jelent feltétlenül supraventricularis eredetet. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(12): 468–470. Summary. A 78-year-old man is presented with wide QRS tachycardia (WQRST). The ventricular origin of WQRST was confirmed by atrioventricular dissociation. The Valsalva maneuver terminated the tachycardia repeatedly. The authors discuss the possible mechanisms of Valsalva maneuver in the arrhythmia termination. This case highlights that Valsalva maneuver or carotid massage terminated tachycardia are not necessarily supraventricular tachycardia. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(12): 468–470.