This team is led by Harold Schultz, Ph.D., professor, George Rozanski, Ph.D., associate professor, Wei Wang, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor, and Shu-Yu Sun, Ph.D., instructor, all from physiology and biophysics. Under normal circumstances, when chemoreflex receptors sense a drop in oxygen, they immediately tell the body to increase ventilation and increase blood pressure. The body increases blood pressure by activating the sympathetic nervous system . Because the SNS is already activated in a person with heart failure, the response is even greater. Receptors found in the carotid artery are particularly sensitive and, as Dr. Schultz has found, contain less nitric oxide under this condition.
Nitric oxide is important for reducing the sensitivity of the chemoreflex.
It is his theory that the loss of nitric oxide is key to turning these oxygen sensors into a hyper-sensitive system. Exercise components are included in all three projects as well. UNMC researchers want to know if exercise can be used as a strategy for altering SNS activity in heart failure. Exercise training has been used over the past several years as a treatment modality for patients with heart failure, especially patients with less severe heart failure. Data coming out now shows that it is beneficial in improving the quality of life and reducing symptoms in patients with heart failure.