Chronic heart failure does not attenuate the total activity of sympathetic outflow to skin during whole-body heating.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Previous studies show that the rise in skin blood flow and cutaneous vascular conductance during heat stress is substantially attenuated in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. The mechanisms responsible for this finding are not clear. In particular, little is known regarding the responses of skin sympathetic nerve activity (SSNA) that control the skin blood flow during heat stress in CHF patients. We examined the effects of a modest heat stress to test the hypothesis that SSNA responses could be attenuated in CHF.

Methods and results

We assessed SSNA (microneurography) from the peroneal nerve and skin blood flow (forearm laser Doppler) in 9 patients with stable class II-III CHF and in matched healthy subjects during passive whole-body heating with a water-perfus

SUBMITTER: Cui J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3738175 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature