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Use of graded exercise to evaluate physiological hyperreactivity to mental stress
D A Delistraty1, W A Greene, K A Carlberg
1Department of Psychology, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA 99004.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|April 1, 1991
Summary
Mental stress causes physiological hyperreactivity, increasing heart rate and blood pressure beyond metabolic needs. Graded exercise provides a reference to identify this hyperreactivity, crucial for understanding coronary heart disease risk.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular physiology
- Exercise science
- Psychophysiology
Background:
- Physiological hyperreactivity to mental stress is linked to coronary heart disease.
- Understanding this response requires objective measurement methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate cardiovascular, pulmonary, and biochemical hyperreactivity to mental stress.
- To establish graded aerobic exercise as a reference for assessing physiological stress responses.
Main Methods:
- Thirty healthy males performed mental arithmetic and graded cycle ergometry.
- Linear regressions analyzed 17 variables against oxygen uptake (VO2) during exercise.
- Paired t-tests compared actual stress responses to VO2-predicted exercise values.
Main Results:
- Heart rate, blood pressure, and ventilation were significantly higher (7-32%) during mental stress than predicted by exercise at equivalent VO2.
- Ten variables correlated significantly with VO2 during exercise, serving as predictors.
- Plasma cortisol and serum lipids were not effective indicators of hyperreactivity.
Conclusions:
- Graded aerobic exercise serves as a valid reference for assessing physiological hyperreactivity to mental stress.
- Cardiovascular and pulmonary variables demonstrate significant hyperreactivity.
- This method aids in identifying individuals at potential risk for stress-related cardiovascular issues.