Behavior of heart rate and incidence of arrhythmia in swimming and diving.

Heart rate behaviour and the incidence of arrhythmia were recorded in 29 young subjects aged between 16 and 20 years using radiotelemetry equipment. The study consisted of four regimens: 100m freestyle swimming with and without an aqualung, up to 50m under water swimming without a breathing apparatus (skin diving) and 100m under water swimming with an aqualung (scuba diving). In the course of the swimming experiments the heart rate tracing exhibits three phases, namely: (a) a sharp rise in the first 10 s; (b) a reduction in the rate of increase, and (c) a constant plateau at approximately 184 bpm without an aqualung and 168 bpm with an aqualung. During apnoeic diving there is a slight increase in heart rate, followed by a rapid drop (vasovagal diver's bradycardia) and finally a plateau at approximately 55 bpm. Diver's bradycardia does not occur when the diver uses an aqualung; the heart rates then correspond to those observed during swimming (maximal rate approximately 169 bpm). Cardiac arrhythmia occurred in 18 instances (3 each during swimming with and without a breathing apparatus, 5 during diving with an aqualung and 7 during diving without an aqualung). 15 were cases of supraventricular extrasystoles, 12 occurred in the plateau phase. A man with a thorough endurance training exhibited in addition to supraventricular extrasystoles a transient bigeminy, substitutive AV systoles and an electric alternans during diving without an aqualung. He experienced no subjective feeling of impairment of performance, nor was there any objective reduction in efficiency.