[Nasal-cardiac reflex].

The nasocardiac reflex is a little known reaction of nasomucosal origin. The nasocardiac reflex itself may lead to severe bradycardia or can even procure a very dramatic cardiac arrest following irritation or stimulation of the nerves in the nasal cavities or paranasal sinuses. To clarify the rules and mechanisms of the stimulation of the nasal mucosa influencing heart function, 80 healthy volunteers underwent the experiment. After stimulation of the nasal mucosa on the media turbinates by means of 25% ammonia, almost all individuals revealed a significant decrease in the heart rate. In 11 volunteers, disturbances in heart rhythm occurred after a short period of apnoea. Investigations were performed also in 54 persons before and after local anesthesia of the nasal mucosa by means of 2% lignocaine. In 80% of investigated the local anesthesia did not influence the nasocardiac reflex. Analyzing the influence of the preoperative premedication in 26 patients, it was observed, that the reflective reaction after premedication was more expressed than before. Because laryngectomy changes the conditions and physiology of the nose as the first part of the respiratory tract, the nasocardiac reflex in 38 laryngectomized patients was also analyzed. Tests were carried out preoperatively and postoperatively several days, months and years after surgery. Respiratory and heart function were registered synchronically, a flowmeter before operation was placed in one nostril and postoperatively in the tracheostomy tube. May be that such speedy heart reaction on nasal mucosa stimulation is connected with the participation of vagal nerve branches in the spheno-palatine ganglion.