Near-maximal exercise responses in health and disease in middle-aged Chinese men

Cardiovascular, aerobic, and ventilatory responses to a multistage treadmill test of near-maximal exercise were determined in 208 middle-aged Chinese men to provide standards in health, and to identify differences in relation to hypertension, coronary heart disease, chronic pulmonary disease and stroke. Except in patients with hypertension, exercise duration was shortened and symptom-limited oxygen uptake was reduced in all disease groups. Unexpectedly, stroke patients exhibited lower heart rate responses to exercise than did patients with coronary heart disease.