The document summarizes the major cardiovascular responses to exercise. It lists 14 responses, including an increase in heart rate due to increased sympathetic nerve activity and decreased parasympathetic activity. Stroke volume increases due to greater ventricular contractility from sympathetic nerve activity as well as increased end-diastolic volume and venous return. As a result, cardiac output increases from both a higher heart rate and larger stroke volume. Total peripheral resistance decreases in the heart and skeletal muscles but increases in other organs, resulting in an overall decrease. Mean arterial pressure and systolic pressure increase due to the higher cardiac output outweighing the lower total peripheral resistance. Diastolic pressure and end-diastolic volume typically remain unchanged. Blood flow increases to the

1. Cardiovascular Responses to
Following are the major cardiovascular responses to exercise followed b
explanation of each. Please consult Vander Sherman’s physiology for further reading
1. Heart Rate (HR)
 ↑ sympathetic nerve activity to SA node
 ↓ parasympathetic activity
2. Stroke Volume (SV)
 ↑ ventricular contractility due to
myocardium
 ↑ EDV (Frank Sterling Mechanism)
 ↑ Venous return
3. Cardiac Output (CO)
 ↑ HR x ↑ SV
 Also depends upon
4. Total Peripheral Resistance
 ↓ Resistance in heart & skeletal muscles
 ↑ resistance in other organs
 But the decrease is greater than the increase
5. Mean Arterial Pressure
 ↑CO x ↓ TPR
 But ↑ in CO is more than in
6. Systolic arterial Pressure
7. Diastolic Arterial Pressure
 Remains unchanged
 But ↓ in athletes
8. Pulse Pressure
 ↑SV
 ↑ velocity of ejection of SV
9. End Diastolic volume
 Filling time is ↓ due to
Cardiovascular Responses to Exercise
By
Sidrah Tul Muntaha
Cardiovascular Responses to EXERCISE
Following are the major cardiovascular responses to exercise followed by the brief
Please consult Vander Sherman’s physiology for further reading
ympathetic nerve activity to SA node
arasympathetic activity
ventricular contractility due to ↑ sympathetic nerve activity to ventricular
EDV (Frank Sterling Mechanism)
Also depends upon ↑ venous return
Total Peripheral Resistance (TPR)
Resistance in heart & skeletal muscles
resistance in other organs
But the decrease is greater than the increase
Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP)
in CO is more than in ↓ TPR
Systolic arterial Pressure
Diastolic Arterial Pressure
Remains unchanged in normal adults
velocity of ejection of SV
(EDV)
due to ↑ HR but this is compensated by ↑ venous return
Cardiovascular Responses to Exercise
Sidrah Tul Muntaha
y the brief
Please consult Vander Sherman’s physiology for further reading.
sympathetic nerve activity to ventricular
venous return

2. 10. Venous Resturn
 Venoconstriction by sympathetic activity
 ↑ skeletal muscle pump activity
 ↑ inspiratory movements
11. Blood Flow to Heart & Skeletal Muscles
 Active hyperemia in both vascular beds mediated by local metabolic factors
12. Blood Flow to Skin
 Vasodilation due to inhibition of sympathetic nerves (to skin vessels) by
temperature
13. Visceral Blood Flow
 Sympathetic nerves to blood vessels in abdominal
14. Blood Flow to Brain
 Autoregulation of brain arterioles maintain constant flow despite
↑ stands for increase/increased
↓ stands for decrese/decreased
Exercise – Increses
Exercise – Decreases
Exercise – Remains
Venoconstriction by sympathetic activity
skeletal muscle pump activity
inspiratory movements
Flow to Heart & Skeletal Muscles
in both vascular beds mediated by local metabolic factors
Vasodilation due to inhibition of sympathetic nerves (to skin vessels) by
Sympathetic nerves to blood vessels in abdominal organs and kidneys are stimulated
Autoregulation of brain arterioles maintain constant flow despite ↑ in MAP
stands for increase/increased
stands for decrese/decreased
Decreases
Remains Unchanged
in both vascular beds mediated by local metabolic factors
Vasodilation due to inhibition of sympathetic nerves (to skin vessels) by ↑ in body
organs and kidneys are stimulated
in MAP