Chapter 9:

Circulatory Adaptations
to Exercise

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 Introduction
 One major challenge to homeostasis posed by
exercise is the increased muscular demand for
oxygen
 During heavy exercise, oxygen demands may  by
15 to 25 times
 Two major adjustments of blood flow are;
  cardiac output
 Redistribution of blood flow
 A thorough understanding of the cardiovascular
system is essential to exercise physiology

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 Objectives

 Give an overview of the design and function

of the circulatory system
 Describe cardiac cycle & associated electrical
activity recorded via electrocardiogram
 Discuss the pattern of redistribution of blood
flow during exercise
 Outline the circulatory responses to various
types of exercise

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 Objectives

 Identify the factors that regulate local

blood flow during exercise
 List & discuss those factors responsible
for regulation of stroke volume during
exercise
 Discuss the regulation of cardiac output
during exercise

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 The Cardiovascular System

Purposes
1.

2.

3.
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 The Circulatory System

 Heart
Pumps blood
 Arteries and arterioles
Carry blood ________ from the heart
 Capillaries
Exchange of __________ with tissues
 Veins and venules
Carry blood __________ the heart

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 Structure of the Heart

Fig 9.1
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 Pulmonary and Systemic Circuits
Systemic circuit Pulmonary circuit
 ________ side of the  ________ side of the
heart heart
 Pumps _________  Pumps __________
blood to the whole body blood to the ______
via arteries via pulmonary arteries
 Returns ____________  Returns ___________
blood to the right heart blood to the ________
via veins heart via pulmonary veins

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 The Myocardium

Fig 9.3
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 The Cardiac Cycle

Systole Diastole
 ___________ phase  _________ phase

Fig 9.5
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 Arterial Blood Pressure

 Expressed as systolic/diastolic
Normal is 120/80 mmHg
High is 140/90 mmHg
 Systolic pressure (top number)
Pressure generated during ________________
(systole)
 Diastolic pressure
Pressure in the arteries during _____________
(diastole)

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 Blood Pressure

 ________________
Difference between systolic and diastolic

Pulse Pressure = Systolic - Diastolic

 ________________________ (MAP)
Average pressure in the arteries

MAP = _______________________

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 Mean Arterial Pressure

Blood pressure of 120/80 mm Hg

MAP =

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Measurement of
Blood Pressure

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Fig 9.7
 Factors That Influence Arterial
Blood Pressure

Fig 9.8
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 How is Blood Pressure Regulated?

 Acute regulation
Achieved by _____________________

 Long term regulation

Function of the ___________________
 They do so by control of ____________________

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 Electrical Activity of the Heart

Contraction of the heart depends on

electrical stimulation of the
myocardium
Impulse is initiated in the __________
and spreads throughout entire heart
May be recorded on an
__________________ (ECG)

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Conduction System of the Heart

___________________

Fig 9.9

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 ________________

The amount of blood pumped by the

heart each minute
 Product of _________________

Q = _________
______ = number of beats per minute
______ = amount of blood ejected in each beat

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 Regulation of Heart Rate
 2 prominent factors that influence HR
 Decrease in HR
1. _____________________
 Via ______________
Slows HR by inhibiting _________
 Increase in HR
2. _____________________
 Via cardiac ______________
Increases HR by stimulating ________

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 Regulation of Stroke Volume
 SV at rest or during exercise is regulated by 3
variables
1. __________________ (EDV)
 Volume of blood in the ventricles at the end of diastole
(“preload”)
2. __________________
 Pressure the heart must pump against to eject blood
(“afterload”)
3. _________ of the ventricular contraction
 “Contractility”

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 End-Diastolic Volume
 __________________
Greater preload results in stretch of ventricles
and in a more forceful contraction
 Affected by venous return:
 What factors regulate venous return?
1.

2.

3.

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 The Skeletal Muscle Pump

 Rhythmic skeletal
muscle contractions
force blood in the
extremities toward the
heart
 One-way valves in veins
prevent backflow of
blood
Fig 9.16
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 Average Aortic Pressure
 Aortic pressure is ___________ related to
stroke volume
 High afterload results in a ___________
stroke volume
Requires greater force generation by the
myocardium to eject blood into the aorta
 Reducing aortic pressure results in
_______ stroke volume

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 Ventricular Contractility

 Increased contractility results in ________

stroke volume
Circulating epinephrine and norepinephrine
Direct sympathetic stimulation of heart

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 Factors that Regulate Cardiac Output

Parasympathetic Mean arterial

nerves pressure

Cardiac = Cardiac Rate x Stroke Volume

Output
Contraction
EDV
Sympathetic strength
nerves
Stretch
Fig 9.18 Frank-
Starling
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 Hemodynamics

The study of the

physical principles of
blood flow

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Physical Characteristics of Blood
 ___________
Liquid portion of blood
Contains ions, proteins, hormones
 Cells
___________
 Contain hemoglobin to carry oxygen
___________
___________
 Important in blood clotting

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 ____________
Percent of blood composed of cells

Fig 9.19
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 Hemodynamics

Based on interrelationships between:

___________
___________
___________
Since large increases in P are
hazardous to health – decreasing
resistance is the primary factor used to
achieve increases in BF during exercise
with a small rise in P
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 Hemodynamics: Pressure

Blood flows from ___  ___ pressure

Proportional to the difference between
MAP and right atrial pressure (P)
BF depends on P at 2 ends of
vascular system
P at 2 ends of a vessel are equal =
__________

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 Blood Flow Through the Systemic
Circuit

Fig 9.20
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 Hemodynamics: Resistance

 What factors contribute to the resistance

of blood flow?
1. Resistance is directly
proportional to these 2 factors
2.
Most important factor
3. determining vascular resistance
 A _________ change in vessel diameter can have a
dramatic impact on resistance!

Resistance =

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 Hemodynamics: Blood Flow

 ___________ proportional to the pressure

difference between the two ends of the
system
 ___________ proportional to resistance

Flow =

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 Sources of Vascular Resistance

MAP __________ throughout the

systemic circulation
Largest drop occurs across the
_____________
Arterioles are called “resistance
vessels”

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 Pressure Changes Across the
Systemic Circulation

Fig 9.21
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 Oxygen Delivery During Exercise

 Oxygen demand by muscles during

exercise is many times greater than at rest
 Increased O2 delivery accomplished via 2
mechanisms:
1.

2.

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 Changes in Cardiac Output

 Cardiac output increases due to:

Increased ____
 Linear increase to max
Max HR = 220 - Age (years)
Increased ____
 Plateau at ~40% VO2max
 Oxygen uptake by the muscle also ______
Higher arteriovenous difference

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Changes in
Cardiovascular
Variables During
Exercise

Fig 9.22
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 Redistribution of Blood Flow

Muscle blood flow to working

skeletal muscle
Splanchnic blood flow  to less active
organs
Liver, kidneys, GI tract

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Changes in
Muscle and
Splanchnic
Blood Flow
During
Exercise

Fig 9.23

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Increased Blood Flow to Skeletal Muscle
During Exercise
 What regulates blood flow to various organs
during exercise?
1.

2.
 Blood flow increased to meet metabolic demands
of tissue
 This happens because of muscle vasodilation
 O2 tension, CO2 tension, pH, nitric oxide

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 Redistribution of Blood Flow During
Exercise

Fig 9.24
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 Circulatory Responses to Exercise

Heart rate and blood pressure

Depend on:
Type, intensity, and duration of exercise
Environmental condition
Emotional influence

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Transition From Rest  Exercise and
Exercise  Recovery

Rapid increase in HR, SV, cardiac

output
Plateau in submaximal (below
lactate threshold) exercise
Recovery depends on:
Duration and intensity of exercise
Training state of subject
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 Incremental Exercise
 Heart rate and cardiac output
Increases linearly with increasing work rate
Reaches plateau at 100% VO2max
 Stroke volume
 Systolic blood pressure
Increases with increasing work rate
 Double product – also called___________
Increases linearly with exercise intensity
Indicates the work of the heart
Double product =
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 Arm vs. Leg Exercise

 At the same oxygen uptake arm work

results in higher:
_______
 Due to higher ______________ stimulation
 _______
 Due to _____________ of large inactive muscle
mass

.
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 Heart Rate and
Blood Pressure
During Arm and
Leg Exercise

If these 2 factors
increase so will
_______________
__________ Fig 9.26
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 Prolonged Exercise

 Cardiac output is maintained

 Gradual decrease in _________
 Gradual increase in _________
 Cardiovascular drift
 What is the drift due to?
1.

2.
.
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 HR, SV, and Q During Prolonged
Exercise

Fig 9.27
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 Cardiovascular Adjustments
to Exercise

Fig 9.23
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