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Category: Volume 06 Issue 02 February 2018
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Title: Influence of Gender on Cardiac Autonomic Reactivity in Young Adults

Authors: Dr Nadeema Rafiq, Dr Tauseef Nabi, Dr Shaugfta Aara, Dr Qurat –Ul-Ain-Arifa

 DOI:  https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v6i2.124

Abstract

Our cardiovascular system is governed by autonomic nervous system. Since adults have lower cardiovascular risk, this study is aimed to find out gender differences in cardiac autonomic nervous activity by assessing various non-invasive tests like Lying to Standing test, Valsalva maneuver, sustained Hand grip test (HGT) and Cold pressor test (CPT). Study was done in healthy males and females ranging in age from 18 to 25 years. The mean basal systolic blood (SBP) pressure of males was significantly highly raised than females The mean SBP before and after HGT as well as CPT was higher for males than females and the difference was highly significant (P < 0.001). This study suggests, heart rate response to Standing and Heart rate changes during the Valsalva manoeuvre (Valsalva Ratio), denoting vagal activity, were not significantly different between males and females, whereas the SBP was more marked for males than females both before and after the stressors reflecting a higher sympathetic activity in males compared to females.

Keywords:  Autonomic nervous system, vagal activity, sympathetic activity, gender, hand grip test, cold pressure test.

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Corresponding Author

Dr Tauseef Nabi

Address: 6-School Enclave, Rawalpora, Srinagar, J&K.190005 India

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