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Hypoglycemia (HG) and the hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR)
Author(s) -
Ward Denham S
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a376-d
Subject(s) - hypoxic ventilatory response , placebo , medicine , morning , anesthesia , endocrinology , ventilation (architecture) , respiratory minute volume , hypoxia (environmental) , respiratory system , chemistry , oxygen , mechanical engineering , alternative medicine , organic chemistry , pathology , engineering
Hypoxic stimulation of the carotid bodies (CBs) causes an immediate increase in ventilation. It has been proposed that the CBs are sensitive to glucose and thus may function as metabolic sensors, with HG potentiating the HVR. A possible mechanism is through changes in intracellular reactive oxygen species. Methods Eleven healthy subjects participated in this IRB‐approved study. Each subject, in randomized order, took either placebo or Vit E (200 mg BID) and Vit C (250 mg BID) for a week prior to the study. On the morning of the experiment, insulin was infused to clamp the plasma glucose to a target of 50 mg/dl, where it was maintained for 30 min, after which the infusion was discontinued. Prior to the HG, twice during the 30 minute plateau, and then after the return to normoglycemia, blood hormone levels, isocapnic resting ventilation and HVR were measured. Results Vit pre‐treatment caused 50% increase in vitamin levels over placebo (p < 0.01), but there was no significant differences between the vitamin and placebo treatments results.Discussion HG markedly increased both resting ventilation and HVR. However, some of this increase may be secondary to the increase in stress hormones rather than a direct effect of HG on the CBs.