Measuring cardiovascular and psychovegetative parameters at high altitude
Rohrer P.M.1,5, Miggitsch E.-M.1,5, Trapp M.1,5, Habenbacher W.2, Velik R.3, Schwaberger G.4,5, Egger J.W.1
1 Research unit of behavioural medicine, health psychology and empirical psychosomatics, Medical University of Graz, AUSTRIA
2 CNSystems, Graz, AUSTRIA
3 Institute of Computer Technology, Vienna University of Technology, AUSTRIA
4 Institute of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, AUSTRIA
5 ARGE Alpinmedizin, Graz, AUSTRIA
The quality of a study´s equipment is of great importance in order to gain reliable data, especially when investigating various parameters simultaneously and/or when working in a non clinical environment. It is proven that the Task Force ® Monitor (CNSystems, Graz, Austria) provides correct and reliable data [1,2].
In recent and ongoing studies, we measured cardiovascular and psychovegetative parameters under different conditions. For this purpose, our measuring device of choice was the Task Force ® Monitor, a non-invasive tool for real time evaluation of hemodynamic status as well as parameters of autonomic cardiovascular regulation.
In summer 2008, fourty-one healthy, well trained volunteers took part in a study under the short name „Dachsteinstudie 2008“. The aim was to investigate differences in vegetative responses in high altitude (Dachstein Bergstation Hunerkogel, 2700m above sea level) compared to Graz (350 m above sea level). The subjects were exposed to both a mental (arithmetic concentrativeness test) and a combined mental and ergotropic (bicycle ergometry) stressor. During the whole test procedure, cardiovascular and psychovegetative parameters such as heart rate, stroke volume, blood pressure (oscillometric and continuous), total peripheral resistance, heart rate and blood pressure variability, skin conductance, and skin temperature were monitored and saved to hard disk for retrospective analysis.
After having investigated a large number of subjects, the Task Force ® Monitor confirmed to be a practicable device for measuring haemodynamic and psychovegetative parameters and providing high quality data to a large extent free of artefacts. Future research will emphasize the importance of investigating reactivities of cardiovascular and psychovegetative parameters at high altitude.
References:
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2. Cornolo J, Fouillot J-P, Schmitt L, Povea C, Robach P, Richalet J-P: Interactions between exposure to hypoxia and the training-induced autonomic adaptations in a ‘‘live high–train low’’ session. Eur J Appl Physiol 2006;96:389–396.