Resting and exercise heart rate with apnea and facial immersion in female swimmers

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Abstract
The decrease in resting and exercise heart rate was investigated during apnea and facial immersion in 8 young female competitive synchronized swimmers, 8 speed swimmers and 8 recreational swimmers. Decrease in resting heart, with apnea and facial immersion, was similar in all groups, suggesting the cardiac slowing is primarily an apneic response. Similar observations were made on the speed and recreational swimmers during exercise. Although the decrease with both apnea and facial immersion was greater during exercise than rest in each group, the synchronized swimmers exhibited a greater decrease than the other 2 groups with facial immersion (P < 0.05). Breath-hold time, although not statistically significant, was longest during exercise in the synchronized swimmers. During exercise, and only with facial immersion, the decrease in heart rate may be related to the greater breath-hold capacity that follows regular underwent training and is unrelated to either swimming skill or physical fitness. Cardiac arrhythmias were observed with a similar frequency during apnea and facial immersion, at rest and during exercise. With the exception of supraventricular and ventricular premature beats, the arrhythmias observed were those usually associated with increased vagal tone.

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