Abstract
Objective:Firefighting-related environmental and physiological factors associated with cardiovascular strain may promote arrhythmias and myocardial ischemia, which induce sudden cardiac events (SCE) in susceptible individuals. The present study evaluated electrocardiographic (ECG) changes that may reflect increased SCE risk following simulated live-firefighting.Methods:Using a repeated measures design, ECG tracings from 32 firefighters were recorded 12-hours post-firefighting in a residential structure and compared with a 12-hour control period.Results:Ventricular arrhythmias were present in 20%, and ST segment changes indicative of myocardial ischemia in 16%, of firefighters 12-hours post-firefighting that were not detected in the control period.Conclusion:Live-firefighting induces significant ECG changes that include ventricular arrhythmias and ST segment changes, which may reflect myocardial ischemia. The implications of such ECG changes explaining increased cardiovascular risk in firefighters warrants further research.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1030-1035 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine |
| Volume | 61 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 1 2019 |
ASJC Scopus Subject Areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Keywords
- arrhythmias
- cardiac events
- fire fighter
- Ischemia
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