1. Lab Report
Lab Technicians: Joanna Smith, Katherine Garcia, Megan Corradino and Zach Searle
Data Analysis: Taylor Douglas and James Tisch
Laboratory Goal: the labs were performed as part of a accumulation of experiments
in order to advise the surgical physician of the physical changes his patient will under
go before, during, and after surgery, as well as how to deal with the changes
Specific Studies (as outlined in laboratory data): Heart Rate and Blood Pressure
response to external stimulus (ice water), as well as exercise (running in place)
Laboratory Experiment 1 (Heart Rate and Blood Pressure with Ice Water)
In this experiment, the laboratory subject’s baseline pulse and blood pressure were
measured to create a basis for analysis. The data is as follows:
Table 1–Baseline Blood Pressure
Systolic pressure Diastolic pressure (mm Mean arterial pressure (mm
(mm Hg) Hg) Hg)
104 71 106
Following the baseline tests, the subject was instructed to step into a bin of ice
water while the pulse and blood pressure was measured again. The data is as
follows:
Table 2–Blood Pressure Response to Cold
Systolic pressure Diastolic pressure (mm Mean arterial pressure (mm
(mm Hg) Hg) Hg)
112 70 70
Also, pulses were analyzed in order to determine the time recovery needed and how
long the body takes to respond to such extreme external stimulus. The data is as
follows:
Table 3
Heart rate Time
Condition
(bpm) (s)
Resting heart rate 117
Maximum heart rate 140 21
Rebound heart rate 109 11.4

2. After the experiments were done, data analysis requests were made and responded
to adequately as follows:
1.Describe the trends that occurred in the systolic pressure, diastolic
pressure, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate with cold stimulus. How
might these responses be useful in a “fight or flight” situation?
The systolic pressure was generally around 70 at the time of releasing the
blood into the body at both times of normal and the ice water feet dunk. The
diastolic pressure though, was a bit higher in the ice water foot dunk I’m
thinking due to the heart pumping more blood throughout the body in hopes of
warming the foot. The mean arterial pressure displays the perfusion pressure of
the vital organs; in which the body systems generally slow down at the time
of a fight or flight scenario. The heart rate generally slowed down at the time
of the ice water situation, attempting at its best to keep the foot alive. These
responses might be useful in a fight or flight situation because the vital body
organs would slow down, not causing a waste of your energy; and also the
heart would be pumping quickly trying to maintain a good temperature and
speed up with adrenaline for survival.
2.As a vital sign, blood pressure is an indicator of general health. A high
blood pressure (140/90 or higher) increases the risk of cardiovascular
disease and strokes. Collect the systolic and diastolic pressures for the
class and calculate the average for each. Rate the class average blood
pressure using the follow scale:
The normal heart rate class systolic average had been 115.4, while the diastolic
pressure hovered at a 69.8 average to which places the class at a Normal blood
pressure. The average systolic pressure for the class at an exposure to ice water
was 139.5, and the diastolic pressure had been 84.8 placing the class at a
Pre-hypertension category.
3. How long after immersion did your heart rate reach its maximum value?
Explain the physiologic mechanism that led to this change in heart rate.
The subject’s heart rate reached its maximum value at about 3 seconds from being
in the ice water. Physiological mechanisms that led to this change in the heart rate
were possibly the autonomic nervous system, which controls the nerve endings. The
cold sensation ran through the subject’s foot nerve endings towards the brain and to
the heart, increasing the heart’s contractions and preparing it for any given situation.

3. 4. Describe the changes in heart rate that occurred after the maximum value.
How can you explain the minimum heart rate value? How would you
explain the heart rate variations seen in the remainder of the
experiment?
After the maximum heart rate value it decreased even lower than the normal resting
heart rate which was at 117, after the maximum, it went down to109.
Minimum is your resting heart rate. It was normal, then up, then very low.
5. How long after the maximum heart rate did it take to arrive at your
rebound heart rate? What can you say about the relative speed of
physiologic response to a stimulus vs. the speed of mechanisms that
are designed to maintain homeostasis?
About 11seconds. Our bodies finally go down to its relaxed heart rate once our
body temperature adjusts.
6. If the heart rate is too slow there is inadequate blood pressure to maintain
perfusion to the brain. This can lead to loss of consciousness (fainting).
Keeping in mind the autonomic nervous system responses that you observed
in this experiment, explain the sequence of events that results in a severely
frightened person fainting.
There is not enough blood pumping through their body, so when a sense of being
frightened occurs, shock sets in; slowing down body systems and lacking oxygen
throughout the body. A light headedness appears, following blurred vision, in the
end resulting with a weakened support and the body collapsing.
Laboratory Experiment 2 (Heart Rate and Blood Pressure with Exercise)
In this experiment, the laboratory subject’s baseline pulse and blood pressure were
measured to create a basis for analysis. The data is as follows:
Table 1–Baseline Blood Pressure
Systolic pressure Diastolic pressure Mean arterial pressure Pulse
(mm Hg) (mm Hg) (mm Hg) (bpm)
123 mm Hg 72 mm Hg 113mm Hg 70 BPM
Then, the subject was instructed to jog in place for 120 seconds, and the heart
rate and blood pressure was recorded after exercise as follows:
Table 2–Blood Pressure After Exercise
Systolic pressure Diastolic pressure Mean arterial pressure Pulse
(mm Hg) (mm Hg) (mm Hg) (bpm)
135 mm Hg 98 mm Hg 122 mm Hg 97 BPM

4. Also, the heart rate at specific times and details were recorded in the following
chart:
Table 3–Heart Rate
Condition
Resting heart rate (bpm) 17.1 BPM
Maximum heart rate (bpm) 153.4
BPM
Recovery time (s) 50 s
The Laboratory Analysis is as follows:
1. Describe the trends that occurred in the systolic pressure, diastolic pressure,
mean arterial pressure and pulse with exercise. Assume that the stroke
volume increased from 75 mL/beat to 100 mL/beat. Use this information
and the change in pulse with exercise to calculate the change in cardiac
output (stroke volume × heart rate) that occurred per minute.
The systolic, diastolic, mean arterial pressures and pulse all increased with
exercise, most of the pressures went up by about 20 mmHg while the pulse
increased by about 30 with the exercise. With a change in stroke volume of about
25 mL/beat, and a change in heart rate of about 27 BPM, we can conclude that
the change in cardiac output was 675 per minute.
2. Pulse pressure is the difference between systolic pressure (peak pressure
during active contraction of the ventricles) and diastolic pressure (the
pressure that is maintained even while the left ventricle is relaxing). Describe
the change in pulse pressure seen with exercise. Which component of the
blood pressure is most responsible for this change?
The pulse pressure seen with exercise was 37 with the systolic
pressure being at 135 mmHg and the diastolic pressure being at 98 mmHg
throughout the exercise. The diastolic pressure is most responsible for the change
due to the most change before and during exercise.
3. A change in pulse pressure can be seen in a variety of medical conditions.
What would you expect to happen to the pulse pressure in the following
examples?
(a) In atherosclerosis there is a hardening of the arterial walls.
I would expect the pulse pressure to increase because the elastin fibers would
harden up and not effectively help the left ventricle.
(b) A damaged aortic valve does not seal properly and allows blood to flow back
into the ventricle during diastole.
Pulse pressure would increase with a damaged aortic valve because the
systolic pressure increases because the ventricle is pumping the leaky blood

5. and the normal blood it pumps, and the diastolic pressure falls due to the
leak.
4. Normal resting heart rates range from 55−100 beats per minute. What
was your/the subject’s resting heart rate? How much did your/the subject’s
heart rate increase above resting rate with exercise? What percent increase
was this?
Our subjects resting heart rate was 70 BPM, our subject’s heart rate increased
to 97 BPM during exercise. The percent increase was about 390%.
5. How does your/the subject’s maximum heart rate compare with other
students in your group/class? Is this what you expected?
Our subject’s maximum heart rate was 154 BPM. This was about average in our
class, which was what I expected because our subject is involved in athletics.
6. Recovery time has been shown to correlate with degree of physical fitness.
How does your/the subject’s recovery rate compare to that of your
classmates? Is this what you expected?
Our subject recovered in about 50 seconds. She is involved in an athletic
activity at school so the fairly quick recovery time was expected.
7. Congestive heart failure is a condition in which the strength of contraction
with each beat may be significantly reduced. For example, the ventricle may
pump only half the usual volume of blood with each beat. Would you expect
a person with congestive heart failure to have a faster or slower heart rate
at rest? With exercise?
It would beat slower at rest and faster with exercise due to the weakened
state of the heart.
8. Medications are available which can slow the heart or speed it up. If a
patient complains of feeling poorly and has a heart rate of 120 beats per
minute, should you administer a medicine to slow the rate?
Maybe a low dosage of medicine because a resting heart rate of 120 BPM
is above the average of 60-100 BPM.