Exercise-Induced Muscle Vasodilatation and Treadmill Exercise Test Responses in Individuals without Overt Heart Disease

Author(s)

Belo Nunes, Rafael Amorim ^[1] ; Giampaoli, Viviana ^[2] ; Goncalves de Freitas, Humberto Felicio ^[1] ; Pereira, Alexandre da Costa ^[1] ; Araujo, Fernando ^[1] ; Correia, Gustavo Ferreira ^[1] ; Pinto Brandao Rondon, Maria Urbana ^[1] ; Negrao, Carlos Eduardo ^[1] ; Mansur, Alfredo Jose ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Hosp Clin, Heart Inst InCor, BR-05403900 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Matemat & Estat, Ctr Estat Aplicada, BR-05403900 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: CARDIOLOGY; v. 127, n. 1, p. 38-44, 2014.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Background:The beneficial effects of exercise on cardiovascular health may be related to the improvement in several physiologic pathways, including peripheral vascular function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between cardiovascular responses during the treadmill exercise test and exercise-induced muscle vasodilatation in individuals without overt heart disease. Methods: The study included 796 asymptomatic subjects (431 females and 365 males) without overt heart disease. We evaluated the heart rate (chronotropic reserve and heart rate recovery), blood pressure (maximum systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as systolic blood pressure recovery) and exercise capacity during symptom-limited treadmill exercise testing. Exercise-induced muscle vasodilatation was studied with venous occlusion plethysmography and estimated by forearm blood flow and vascular conductance responses during a 3-min handgrip maneuver. Results: Forearm blood flow increase during the handgrip exercise was positively associated with heart rate recovery during treadmill exercise testing (p < 0.001). Forearm vascular conductance increase during the handgrip exercise was inversely associated with exercise diastolic blood pressure during exercise treadmill testing (p = 0.038). No significant association was found between exercise capacity and exercise-induced muscle vasodilation. Conclusion: In a sample of individuals without overt heart disease, exercise-induced muscle vasodilatation was associated with heart rate and blood pressure responses during treadmill exercise testing, but was not associated with exercise capacity. These findings suggest that favorable hemodynamic and chronotropic responses are associated with better vasodilator capacity, but exercise capacity does not predict muscle vasodilatation. (C) 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/52992-1 - Cardiovascular response during exercise treadmill test, peripheral vasodilatation, and genetic polymorphisms of alpha-adrenergic receptors and nitric oxide synthase enzyme in patients underwent cardiological examination
• Grantee: Alfredo José Mansur
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants