Effect of commercially available nasal strips on airway resistance in exercising horses.

This research article investigates the impact of nasal strips on the airway resistance in horses during exercise, concluding that these strips indeed reduce airway resistance and may decrease the energy required for breathing in high-intensity exercises.

Research Objectives and Methods

• The researchers aimed to evaluate the effects of using a commercial nasal strip on the mechanics of a horse’s airway during physical exertion. This is particularly relevant for horses engaged in sporting activities where high pulmonary capacity is important.
• Six horses, comprising five Standardbreds and one Thoroughbred, were engaged in the study.
• The horses were made to exercise at speeds corresponding to 100% and 120% of their maximum heart rates, both with and without the application of the nasal strip.
• To accurately measure the effects, a number of parameters like tracheal pressures, airflow, and heart rate were monitored during the exercises. Elements such as peak inspiratory and expiratory tracheal pressures, airflow, respiratory frequency, and tidal volume were specifically recorded.
• The researchers also calculated inspiratory and expiratory airway resistances by dividing the peak pressures by peak flows.
• An endoscopic examination was performed on one resting horse at various stages: before, during, and after the application of a nasal strip.

Key Findings

• The results showed a significant decrease in both peak tracheal inspiratory pressure and inspiratory airway resistance when nasal strips were applied to horses exercising at speeds corresponding to 100% and 120% of their maximum heart rate. This clearly suggests an improvement in the ease of breathing for the horses under strenuous physical activity.
• The nasal strip also demonstrated a physical effect on the horses’ nasal structure, pulling the dorsal conchal fold sideways, and expanding the dorsal meatus.
• The research concluded that the application of the nasal strip effectively dilated the nasal passage, leading to a decrease in airway resistance during the inhalation phase.

Conclusions

• The study asserts that the use of a commercially available nasal strip improves the mechanics of the horse’s airway during intense exercise. Through reducing airway resistance, the nasal strips appear to decrease the amount of work required by the respiratory muscles in horses.
• This could, in turn, result in a reduction in the energy expended for breathing in horses during vigorous activity.