Human cardiovascular control during exercise is regulated by the arterial baroreflex and muscle afferent feedback (Raven et al., 2006). Muscle metaboreflex activation does not affect carotid-cardiac (CBR-HR) or carotid-vasomotor (CBR-MAP) baroreflex maximal gain in humans (Drew et al., 2008). Low-dose aspirin inhibits production of the metabolite thromboxane (TX) A2. However, it is unknown if inhibiting TX A2 affects CBR-HR and CBR-MAP maximal gain during muscle metaboreflex activation. Therefore, we examined the effect of inhibiting TX A2 production via low-dose aspirin on CBR-HR and CBR-MAP maximal gain during muscle metaboreflex activation in humans. 9 subjects performed two trials twice, each after 7-days of placebo or low-dose aspirin. A 5min baseline (rest) was followed by either 1.5min of continued rest (0% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC)) or isometric right calf exercise at 70% MVC, then 3.5min of circulatory occlusion (post-exercise circulatory occlusion (PECO) if exercise was performed). Paired-samples t-test and repeated measures ANOVA were used for statistical analysis. Aspirin reduced baseline TX B2 by ~90% (p<0.05). Maximal gain during rest was similar in all trials for CBR-HR and CBR-MAP (p>0.05) (Table 1). Both CBR-HR and CBR-MAP maximal gain during circulatory occlusion were similar in all trials, including during PECO (p>0.05) (Table 1). These results suggest that TX A2 inhibition via low-dose aspirin does not affect CBR-HR or CBR-MAP maximal gain during muscle metaboreflex activation in humans. This contrasts with previous preliminary findings showing that low-dose aspirin increases CBR-HR maximal gain during concurrent muscle mechanoreflex and metaboreflex activation in humans, without affecting CBR-MAP maximal gain (Drew et al., 2012). When viewed together, this may reveal a specific link between TX and metabolite-sensitised muscle mechanoreceptors that influences cardiac vagal activity. Supported by P01 HL096570 (LIS); UL1 RR033184 (LIS).
Physiology 2012 (Edinburgh) (2012) Proc Physiol Soc 27, PC306
Poster Communications: Low-dose aspirin does not affect carotid-cardiac or carotid-vasomotor baroreflex sensitivity during muscle metaboreflex activation in humans
R. C. Drew1, M. D. Muller1, M. D. Herr1, C. Blaha1, J. Mast1, T. Nicklas1, L. I. Sinoway1
1. Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States.
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