Title: Sympathetic and cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity as related to heat stroke

Authors: Michael D. Whitt, Rodney G. Handy, Monica A. Rodriguez, Patrick Senarith

Addresses: Miami Dade College, 300 NE 2nd Avenue, Room 7162, Miami, FL 33132, USA. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology, Purdue University, Knoy Hall, Room 182, 401 North Grant Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology, Purdue University, Knoy Hall, Room 182, 401 North Grant Street, West Lafayette IN 47907-2021, USA. ' Medtronic Corporation, 8200 Coral Sea St. NE, Mounds View, MN 55112, USA

Abstract: Heat stroke diagnosis takes place when core temperature exceeds 40.5°C. Many risk factors, environmental and non-environmental, are associated with increased occurrence of heat stroke. Early diagnosis of a heat related illness is believed to be important in the effective reduction of heat stress mortality and morbidity rates. Sympathetic and cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity could provide metrics to aid in the early diagnosis. Data analysis took place using previous data from an experiment where 24 subjects performed 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise in a chamber with WBGT equal to 27.5°C. The primary experimental objective was observation of a relationship between transepidermal water loss and cardiovascular metrics. Thus, the design of experiments limited the amount of valuable information able to be extracted pertaining to sympathetic and cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity. However, a test of means demonstrated that diastolic pressure and heart rate underwent significant changes with time in the hot and humid environment.

Keywords: sympathetic baroreflex; cardiovagal baroreflex; cardiovascular metrics; heat stroke; oscillometry; heat stress mortality; morbidity rates; transepidermal water loss; diastolic pressure; heart rate.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNP.2008.026472

International Journal of Nanoparticles, 2008 Vol.1 No.4, pp.291 - 300

Published online: 16 Jun 2009 *

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