Effect of exercise intensity and duration on regional function during and after exercise-induced ischemia

Transient reversible myocardial dysfunction has been documented after episodes of exercise-induced ischemia. This study was undertaken to determine whether the duration or intensity of exercise affects the severity of postischemic dysfunction in this setting.

Ten dogs were instrumented with ultrasonic microcrystals for measurement of wall thickening, with circumflex coronary artery flow probes, and with hydraulic occluders. Dogs performed low-intensity exercise, which was sufficient to increase coronary perfusion 50% above control, and high-intensity exercise, which was sufficient to double coronary blood flow. To investigate the effects of exercise intensity on postischemic dysfunction, we had dogs perform high-intensity exercise for 5 minutes in the presence of a stenosis. On the alternate day, dogs performed low-intensity exercise for 10 minutes in the presence of a stenosis. These two protocols provide equivalent coronary flow debts. Mean transmural blood flow during high-intensity exercise without stenosis (2.61 +/- 0.54 ml/min/g) was significantly higher than that during low-intensity exercise (1.74 +/- 0.61 ml/min/g, p less than 0.002). During high-intensity exercise with coronary artery stenosis, subendocardial blood flow was significantly lower than that during low-intensity exercise with stenosis (0.64 +/- 0.40 versus 1.08 +/- 0.28 ml/min/g, p less than 0.02). This difference in subendocardial perfusion was associated with greater degrees of regional dysfunction during exercise (circumflex wall thickening was 44 +/- 23% of control for high-intensity exercise versus 60 +/- 18% of control for low-intensity exercise, p less than 0.01). In addition, from 10 to 30 minutes after exercise, wall thickening in myocardium perfused by the circumflex coronary artery remained significantly lower after high-intensity exercise than that after low-intensity exercise. To assess the effects of exercise duration on the severity of postischemic dysfunction, we had dogs perform low-intensity exercise in the presence of a coronary stenosis for 10 minutes and low-intensity exercise for only 5 minutes on alternate days. Systolic wall thickening was significantly lower after low-intensity exercise for 10 minutes than after low-intensity exercise for 5 minutes.

High-intensity exercise results in greater degrees of subendocardial hypoperfusion and greater degrees of regional dysfunction both during and after exercise-induced ischemia than does low-intensity exercise. Second, exercise duration also exerts an effect on the severity of postischemic dysfunction, although the magnitude of this effect is less important than the effect of exercise intensity.