Comparison of Acute Arterial Responses Following a Rescue Simulation and Maximal Exercise in Professional Firefighters

Abstract

Cardiovascular events are the leading cause of on-duty deaths among firefighters. Screening firefighters for risk of sudden cardiac event is a critical element of a comprehensive medical program. Although intense physical exertion has been shown to trigger sudden cardiac events in the general population, it is unclear how hemodynamic responses following clinical exercise testing compare to that of performing firefighting tasks in personal protective equipment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare hemodynamic responses following rescue simulation (RS) and maximal exercise in firefighters. This was a cross-over repeated measures study. Thirty-eight professional firefighters (31.8 ± 5.2 yr; VO2peak: 57.9 mL/kg/min) completed a maximal aerobic exercise test (MAET) and an RS. Pulse wave velocity (PWV), pulse pressure (PP), and brachial and central mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured before and 5 and 15 min post-exercise. The findings indicated that femoral PWV decreased after MAET and RS at both time points (p < 0.005). No significant differences were found in aortic and carotid PWV over time or between conditions (p ≥ 0.05). Significant increases in brachial and central PP and MAP were noted 5 min post-MAET and RS (p = 0.004). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that peripheral arterial stiffness (AS) decreased in firefighters following both conditions, with no differences in central AS. Our findings provide valuable information on hemodynamic responses similar between RS and MAET, and are important for controlling CVD risk and the AS response.

Firefighter Health: A Narrative Review of Occupational Threats and Countermeasures

“…Interestingly, the potential cardioprotective effect of exercise on occupational SCEs may be due to the specificity of cardiovascular strain induced by exercise. That is, research indicates that acute changes in hemodynamic and arterial stiffness responses are similar following firefighting tasks and maximal aerobic exercise [18], further supporting the importance of participation in regular endurance exercise.…”

“…Heat stress per se increases heart rate, cardiac contractility, and myocardial oxygen demand [17]. Heat stress combined with exercise and the load carriage requirements of firefighting (i.e., encapsulating personal protective equipment and self-containing breathing apparatus; Mass: ≈26 kg) can produce increased arterial stiffness and hemodynamic responses [18] and ultimately increase the risk of SCEs. Several authors have [16,19] identified pathogenic SCE mechanisms that may occur during fire suppression activities.…”