Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Excess Body Fat Exhibit Atypical Sympathetic Autonomic Modulation That is Partially Reversed by Aerobic Physical Training.

Objective: The aetiology of impairments in autonomic modulation of heart rate variability (HRV) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) remains unclear, as does the impact of aerobic physical training (APT) on controlling endocrine-metabolic disorders and HRV. This is because these women often present excess body fat. Therefore, we assessed whether the dysregulation in autonomic modulation of HRV in women with PCOS is due to endocrine-metabolic disorders and whether the combination of excess body fat with endocrine-metabolic disorders amplifies cardiovascular autonomic deficits.

Chronic acetylcholinesterase inhibition reduces the effects of physical training on ventricular contractility and coronary bed reactivity in hypertensive rats.

Systemic arterial hypertension is accompanied by autonomic impairments that, if not contained, promotes cardiac functional and morphological damages. Pyridostigmine bromide (PYR) treatment results in positive effects on autonomic control and beneficial cardiac remodeling. These findings were also observed after aerobic physical training (APT).

What do we know about the role of menopause in cardiovascular autonomic regulation in hypertensive women?

Objective: We investigated the systemic arterial hypertension effects on cardiovascular autonomic modulation and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) in women with or without preserved ovarian function.

Methods: A total of 120 women were allocated into two groups: middle-aged premenopausal women (42 ± 3 y old; n = 60) and postmenopausal women (57 ± 4 y old; n = 60). Each group was also divided into two smaller groups (n = 30): normotensive and hypertensive.

Physical exercise is essential for increasing ventricular contractility in hypertensive rats treated with losartan.

The treatment of hypertensive patients with losartan is very common. Despite the reduction in blood pressure, its effects on cardiac contractility and sympathetic autonomic drive are still controversial. In turn, aerobic physical training (APT) also presents an important therapeutic option, providing significant improvements in cardiovascular autonomic control, however little is known about its effects on cardiac contractility, especially when associated with losartan.

Integrative physiological study of adaptations induced by aerobic physical training in hypertensive hearts.

Aerobic physical training reduces arterial pressure in patients with hypertension owing to integrative systemic adaptations. One of the key factors is the decrease in cardiac sympathetic influence. Thus, we hypothesized that among other causes, cardiac sympathetic influence reduction might be associated with intrinsic cardiac adaptations that provide greater efficiency.

Heart Rate Variability and Cardiovascular Fitness: What We Know so Far.

Fluctuation analysis in intervals between heartbeats provides important indices related to autonomic modulation of heart rate variability (HRV). These indices are considered predictors of morbidity and mortality as they are frequently altered in patients with chronic degenerative diseases, especially in those with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Similarly, a reduction in HRV is common with aging.

Effects of chronic cholinergic stimulation associated with aerobic physical training on cardiac morphofunctional and autonomic parameters in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

We investigated hemodynamic, cardiac morphofunctional, and cardiovascular autonomic adaptations in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) after aerobic physical training associated with chronic cholinergic stimulation. Fifty-four SHRs were divided into two groups: trained and untrained. Each group was further subdivided into three smaller groups: vehicle, treated with pyridostigmine bromide at 5 mg/kg/day, and treated with pyridostigmine bromide at 15 mg/kg/day.

Antineoplastic drugs contamination of workplace surfaces in two Portuguese hospitals.

Despite the classification as known or suspected human carcinogens, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the antineoplastic drugs are extensively used in cancer treatment due to their specificity and efficacy. As human carcinogens, these drugs represent a serious threat to the healthcare workers involved in their preparation and administration. This work aims to contribute to better characterize the occupational exposure of healthcare professionals to antineoplastic drugs, by assessing workplace surfaces contamination of pharmacy and administration units of two Portuguese hospitals.