Spinal cord injury alters cardiac electrophysiology and increases the susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias

Challenges, concerns and common problems: physiological consequences of spinal cord injury and microgravity

“…43,44 However, in the chronic stage, physical exertion and sexual activities are most commonly associated with development of arrhythmias. 45,46 In contrast to SCI, spaceflight does not seem to increase the risk of dysrhythmias. One case study described a single isolated nonsustained, asymptomatic 14-beat ventricular tachycardia episode in a cosmonaut during an extended space mission.…”

Electrocardiographic abnormalities in the early stage following traumatic spinal cord injury

“…4 In addition to hemodynamic abnormalities, SCI can lead to cardiac arrhythmia including sinus bradycardia, supraventricular arrhythmia, ventricular arrhythmia and cardiac arrest. [5][6][7][8] Although these cardiac arrhythmias are relatively well recognized in the subacute and chronic stages after SCI, there is a paucity of studies focused on abnormal cardiac electrical activity during the early stages following SCI.…”

Structural neuroplasticity following T5 spinal cord transection: increased cardiac sympathetic innervation density and SPN arborization

“…Accordingly, efforts to reduce sympathetic activity are the first-line therapy for most, if not all, cardiovascular diseases. Importantly, sympathetic activity is elevated above the lesion in individuals with midthoracic SCI, and the regulation of heart rate and cardiac function is abnormal because sympathetic outflow to the heart is increased (14).…”