MORPHOFUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BRACHIOCEPHALIC AND PERIPHERAL VESSELS IN ELITE CROSS-COUNTRY SKIERS

Aim. To examine the morphological and functional parameters of brachiocephalic and peripheral vessels in elite cross-country skiers during winter training and competitions. Materials and methods. A control group of university students (n = 14) and an experimental group of highly skilled skiers (n = 11) living in Syktyvkar participated in the study in the winter. Hemodynamics in peripheral and brachiocephalic vessels were evaluated using Doppler ultrasound. Results. Skiers had a 14% lower heart rate and a 10% lower diastolic blood pressure compared with non -athlete students. In skiers, intima-media thickness was reduced by 9.5%, the average linear flow velocity in the common carotid arteries by 15%, and in the right internal carotid artery by 12.5%. At the same time, the resistivity index was higher in the right vertebral artery. Conclusion. The cyclic load on the cardiovascular system, induced by crosscountry skiing, is accompanied by a decrease in linear flow velocity and a modification of intima-media thickness in the brachiocephalic vessels.