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Carotid Baroreflex Function in African Americans at Rest
Author(s) -
Fulton Diana,
Hodge T. Glenn,
Vespoli Kalen,
Keller David M.
Publication year - 2010
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.24.1_supplement.977.3
Subject(s) - baroreflex , blood pressure , medicine , cardiology , heart rate , population , carotid sinus , anesthesia , environmental health
African Americans (AA) are at relatively high risk for the development of hypertension. However, little is known regarding dynamic blood pressure control (e.g., arterial baroreflex function) in this racial population prior to the development of hypertension. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that normotensive AA would exhibit reduced carotid baroreflex control of heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) at rest compared to age, gender and fitness‐matched Caucasian Americans (CA). Eight subjects (4 in each racial group) underwent multiple 5‐sec trials of Neck Pressure (NP, +40 Torr: simulated carotid hypotension) and Neck Suction (NS, −60 Torr: simulated carotid hypertension). The peak HR and MAP responses to NP and NS were determined relative to pre‐stimulus values and used to calculate the Response Range (i.e., the difference between averaged peak responses to NP and NS) for the respective variable for each subject. Although somewhat lower in AA (14.5±3.2 mmHg), the MAP Response Range was not statistically different compared to CA (20.1±1.7 mmHg, P = 0.19). However, the HR Response Range approached statistical significance in AA (17.2±4.3 bpm) compared to CA (30.8±3.5 bpm, P = 0.051). These findings indicate possible inherent differences in carotid baroreflex function between racial populations at different risk for the development of hypertension. Supported by NIH Grant R15HL096103