• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.139-153
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• 1985

The passive tilt has been performed to study the orthostasis on the cardiovascular system. The orthostasis due to upright tilt was demonstrated as follows: the venous return, cardiac output and systemic arteiral blood pressure were decreased, whereas there was concomitant increase of heart rate, through the negative feedback mediated by such as the baroreceptor . Previous investigators have suggested that the tolerance to the orthostasis could he increased by blocking the cholinergic fiber with atropine which prevented vasodilation and bradycardia through the vasovagal reflex during the orthostasis. However, this hypothesis has not been clearly understood. This study was attempted to clarify the effect of atropine on the tolerance of the cardiovascular system to the upright and head-down tilt, and to investigate the change of the blood flow through head and lower leg with Electromagnetic flowmeter in both tilts before and after atropine state. Fourteen anesthetized dogs of $10{\sim}14kg$ were examined by tilting from supine position to $+77^{\circ}$ upright position (orthostasis), and then to $-90^{\circ}$ head-down position (antiorthostasis) for 10 minutes on each test. And the same course was taken 20 minutes after intravenous administration of 0.5mg atropine. The measurements were made of the blood flow(ml/min.) on the carotid artery, external jugular vein, femoral artery and femoral vein. At the same time pH, $PCO_2$, $PO_2$ and hematocrit (Hct) of the arterial and venous blood, and heart rate(HR) and respiratory rate (RR) were measured. The measurements obtained from upright and head-down tilt were compared with those from supine position. The results obtained are as follows: In upright tilt, the blood flow both on the artery and the vein through head and lower leg were decreased, however the decrement of blood flow through the head was greater than the lower leg And the atropine attenuated the decrement of the blood flow on the carotid artery, but not on the vessels of the lower leg. HR was moderately increased in upright tilt, but slightly in head-down tilt. The percent change of HR after the atropine administration was smaller than that before the atropine state in both upright and head-down tilts. Before the atropine state, RR was decreased in upright tilt, whereas increased in head-down tilt. However after the atropine state, the percent change of RR was smaller than that of before the atropine state in both upright and head-down tilts. In upright tilt, venous $PCO_2$ was increased, but arterial $PO_2$ and venous $PO_2$ were slightly decreased. Hct was increased in both upright and head-down tilts. The findings of blood $PCO_2$, $PO_2$ and Hct were not interferred by the atropine. In conclusion, 1;he administration of atropine is somewhat effective on improving the cardiovascular tolerance to postural changes. Thus, atropine attenuates the severe diminution of the blood flow to the head during orthostasis, and also reduces the changes of HR and RR in both orthostasis and antiorthostasis.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.237-247
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• 1996

This study was carried out to determine the effect of $-6^{\circ}$ head-down bedrest on the cardiovascular and hormonal responses to orthostasis and to evaluate the mechanism of orthostatic intolerance. Ten healthy young men were changed the body position from $-6^{\circ}$ head-down or supine bedrest for 2 hr to $70^{\circ}$ head-up tilt for 20 min. During the bedrest, there were no differences in hemodynamic and hormonal changes between the head-down and the supine positions. However, the tendency of decreased end-diastolic volume and increased cardiac contractility during the later period of 2 hr showed that the cardiovascular adaptation could be accelerated within a relatively short period in the head-down bedrest. During the head-up tilt, presyncopal signs were developed in five subjects of the supine bedrest, and one of the same subjects of the head-down bedrest. In the tolerant subjects, the increase in cardiac contractility and plasma epinephrine level during the bend-up tilt was greater following the head-down bedrest than that following the supine bedrest to compensate for reduced venous return. The intolerant subjects showed the greater decrease in end-diastolic and stroke volume, and the greater increase in heart rate during the head-up tilt than the tolerant subjects. Cardiac contractility and plasma epinephrine level were remarkably increased. However, arterial pressure was not maintained at the level for the appropriate compensation of the reduced venous return. It seems that the tolerance to orthostasis is more effective after the short-term head-down bedrest than after the supine bedrest, and the secretion of epinephrine induces the higher cardiac performance as a compensatory mechanism fur the reduced venous return during the orthostasis following the head-down bedrest than the supine bedrest.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.3 no.6
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• pp.605-613
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• 1999

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate cardiovascular regulation during passive standing (PS) after ethanol ingestion by spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) in flushed and nonflushed subjects. Of 24 young male subjects, 8 belonged to flushed group (F) and 16 to nonflushed group (NF). Two sessions of 10-min PS were performed before and after ethanol (0.5 g/kg) ingestion. Powers of R-R interval variability in very low frequency $(VLF,\;0{\sim}0.05\;Hz),$ low frequency $(LF,\;0.05{\sim}0.15\;Hz)$ and high frequency $(HF,\;0.15{\sim}0.50\;Hz)$ bands, normalized powers (LFn and HFn) and LF/HF ratio were obtained. After ethanol ingestion, F showed higher heart rate than NF. PS increased LFn $(+22.9{\pm}3.6\;in\;NF,\;+12.8{\pm}4.7$ in F, in normalized units) and LF/HF $(+3.10{\pm}0.57\;in\;NF,\;+3.00{\pm}1.08\;in\;F)$ and decreased HFn powers. Ethanol ingestion increased LFn and LF/HF and decreased HFn. PS after ethanol resulted in higher LFn and LF/HF and lower HFn than the prior PS. F showed a greater and more sustained HRV change than NF after ethanol. In conclusion, PS or ethanol ingestion increased LFn and LF/HF and decreased HFn. Flushed subjects showed an accentuated HRV response to ethanol.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.32-36
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• 2013

Purpose: Chronic day-to-day symptoms of orthostatic intolerance are the most notable features of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). However, we have encountered patients with such symptoms and excessive tachycardia but with no symptoms during the tilt-table test (TTT). We aimed to investigate whether POTS patients with chronic orthostatic intolerance always present orthostatic symptoms during the TTT and analyze the factors underlying symptom manifestation during this test. Methods: We retrospectively examined patients who presented with POTS at the Gyeongsang National University Hospital between 2008 and 2011. Diagnosis of POTS was based on chronic day-to-day orthostatic intolerance symptoms as well as excessive tachycardia during the TTT. The patients were divided two groups depending on the presentation of orthostatic symptoms during the TTT. Clinical data and the results of the TTT were compared between these groups. Results: In 22 patients, 7 patients (31.8%) did not present orthostatic symptoms during the test. Diastolic blood pressure (BP) was significantly lower in the symptom-positive group. The head-up tilt resulted in a significant increase in diastolic BP in the symptom-negative group (P=0.04), while systolic BP had a tendency to decrease in the symptom-positive group (P=0.06). Conclusion: Significant patients with POTS did not present orthostatic symptoms during the TTT despite having chronic daily symptoms. This finding may be important for establishing definitive diagnostic criteria for pediatric POTS. Development of symptoms during TTT might be related to low diastolic BP and abnormal compensatory responses to orthostasis.