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Physiological range of peak cardiac power output in healthy adults
Paul D Bromley1, Lynette D Hodges, David A Brodie
1Faculty of Health and Human Sciences, Thames Valley University, Slough, Berkshire, UK. paul.bromley@tvu.ac.uk
Aims:
The purpose of this study was to indicate the normal range for peak cardiac power output (CPO(peak)) in healthy adults and to explore age- and sex-related variations of this parameter.
Methods And Results:
Using the non-invasive exponential CO(2) rebreathing technique [J.G. Defares, J Appl Physiol13 (1958) 159], cardiac output was measured at an exercise intensity determined to coincide with > or =95% of peak oxygen consumption in 102 healthy adults (mean +/- SD, age 43 +/- 13 years, body mass 74 +/- 13 kg). Peak cardiac power was then computed from measurements of peak cardiac output (Q(Tpeak)) and peak mean arterial pressure (MAP(peak)) using the equation described by Cooke et al. [Heart79 (1998) 289]. Peak oxygen consumption in the study population was 2.42 (+/-0.74) l min(-1) and subjects achieved 101 +/- 7% of this value during the measurement of . was 17.3 (+/-4) l min(-1), and CPO(peak) was computed as 4.5 (+/-1.2) W. CPO(peak) ranged from 3.11 to 7.94 W in men and 2.53 to 5.57 W in women. Additionally, ageing appears to be associated with a significant loss of peak cardiac power in men that is not apparent in women.
Conclusion:
Although the sample size remains moderate, the CPO values attained were normally distributed and these values provide a useful indication of the normal range for CPO(peak) in healthy adults.
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