Blood Pressure Responses During A Firefighting Simulation On A Treadmill In A Thermoneutral Environment

Firefighting activities result in high cardiovascular strain. Heart rate and electrocardiogram have been used during firefighting tasks in different studies to quantify their impact on cardiac strain. To our knowledge, no other parameter has been used to quantify cardiovascular strain during firefighting tasks. PURPOSE: To characterize blood pressure responses during a firefighting simulation and compare them to the maximal values reached in an incremental test. METHODS: To characterize blood pressure responses during a firefighting simulation and compare them to the maximal values reached in an incremental test. RESULTS: Thirty (30) healthy adults (3 females) and 11 firefighters (2 females) for a total of 41 participants (age: 27 ± 6 years) completed both tests. Mean heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and rate-pressure product during the firefighting simulation were respectively 138 ± 18 bpm, 167 ± 18 and 73 ± 9 mmHg and 22900 ± 4122 bpm·mmHg. No significative difference (p = 0.65) was observed in peak systolic blood pressure between the firefighting simulation (208 ± 27 mmHg) and the incremental test (208 ± 22 mmHg), but peak diastolic blood pressure was higher during the firefighting simulation (FS: 91 ± 11 mmHg, IT: 83 ± 14 mmHg, p < 0.01). Peak heart rate (FS: 170 ± 15, IT: 190 ± 9 bpm, p < 0.01) and rate-pressure product (FS: 32281 ± 5344, IT: 39289 ± 4689 bpm·mmHg, p < 0.01) were higher during the incremental test. CONCLUSIONS: Firefighting activities entail exaggerated blood pressure responses. These results highlight the high level of cardiovascular strain experienced by firefighters. It would seem imperative to quantify rate-pressure product in a prolonged firefighting intervention, a situation where body temperature rises even higher since heat stress and dehydration have a synergistic effect on increasing heart rate.