The change of heart rate and blood pressure after
exercise in relation to heart rate and blood
pressure at rest
In first year biomedical sciences students
1
, Introduction
Through the constrictions and dilations of the skeletal muscle, the body has the ability to
exercise. The skeletal muscle is responsible for the locomotion(1). During muscle activity the
blood flow increases. This is caused by chemical effects in the muscle tissue, for example
the reduction in oxygen, which cause the arterioles in the muscles to dilate. The muscle
tissue uses a lot of oxygen during muscle activity so the oxygen concentration will become
less and thus it needs more. The increase of blood flow through the muscle tissue is caused
by vasodilators which can sense the lack of oxygen.
To make an increase in blood flow happen, an increase in arterial pressure and cardiac
output is needed(2). Cardiac output is the amount of blood the heart pumps each minute.
Cardiac output depends on the stroke volume and the heart rate. The heart rate is the
number of times the heart beats per minute(3). The average heart rate is between 60 to 100
beats per minute(4). When the cardiac output increases the heart rate also increases(3).
The cardiac cycle consists of two phases; the diastole and the systole. The diastole is the
moment the heart muscle relaxes and the blood pressure decreases, hereby the chambers of
the heart will be filled with blood. The systole is the moment the heart muscles contract and
thus the blood will be pushed out of the heart into the arteries to the rest of the body.
The blood pressure increases in systole. The blood pressure is divided into two numbers;
the systolic- and the diastolic pressure(5). The blood pressure is expressed in the unit
mm/Hg(6). A normal blood pressure will be below 120/80 mm/Hg. Once the heart starts to
pump faster and harder when exercising the blood pressure will rise. This will particularly be
the systolic pressure, because the systolic pressure measures the pressure on the vessel
during a heartbeat. The diastolic pressure will not change significantly because the diastolic
pressure describes the pressure on the vessels during the heart pause and that is not
relevant during exercise. During exercise the systolic pressure can sometimes rise up to 220
mm/Hg (7).
The aim of this research is to find out how much heart rate and blood pressure changes after
exercise when compared to the situation is rest in the specific group of first year biomedical
sciences students. So how do heart rate and blood pressure change after exercise in
relation to heart rate and blood pressure at rest in first year Biomedical Students?
The expectation is that the systolic blood pressure will rise after exercise and the diastolic
blood pressure will remain the same. The heart rate will also increase after exercise.
2
exercise in relation to heart rate and blood
pressure at rest
In first year biomedical sciences students
1
, Introduction
Through the constrictions and dilations of the skeletal muscle, the body has the ability to
exercise. The skeletal muscle is responsible for the locomotion(1). During muscle activity the
blood flow increases. This is caused by chemical effects in the muscle tissue, for example
the reduction in oxygen, which cause the arterioles in the muscles to dilate. The muscle
tissue uses a lot of oxygen during muscle activity so the oxygen concentration will become
less and thus it needs more. The increase of blood flow through the muscle tissue is caused
by vasodilators which can sense the lack of oxygen.
To make an increase in blood flow happen, an increase in arterial pressure and cardiac
output is needed(2). Cardiac output is the amount of blood the heart pumps each minute.
Cardiac output depends on the stroke volume and the heart rate. The heart rate is the
number of times the heart beats per minute(3). The average heart rate is between 60 to 100
beats per minute(4). When the cardiac output increases the heart rate also increases(3).
The cardiac cycle consists of two phases; the diastole and the systole. The diastole is the
moment the heart muscle relaxes and the blood pressure decreases, hereby the chambers of
the heart will be filled with blood. The systole is the moment the heart muscles contract and
thus the blood will be pushed out of the heart into the arteries to the rest of the body.
The blood pressure increases in systole. The blood pressure is divided into two numbers;
the systolic- and the diastolic pressure(5). The blood pressure is expressed in the unit
mm/Hg(6). A normal blood pressure will be below 120/80 mm/Hg. Once the heart starts to
pump faster and harder when exercising the blood pressure will rise. This will particularly be
the systolic pressure, because the systolic pressure measures the pressure on the vessel
during a heartbeat. The diastolic pressure will not change significantly because the diastolic
pressure describes the pressure on the vessels during the heart pause and that is not
relevant during exercise. During exercise the systolic pressure can sometimes rise up to 220
mm/Hg (7).
The aim of this research is to find out how much heart rate and blood pressure changes after
exercise when compared to the situation is rest in the specific group of first year biomedical
sciences students. So how do heart rate and blood pressure change after exercise in
relation to heart rate and blood pressure at rest in first year Biomedical Students?
The expectation is that the systolic blood pressure will rise after exercise and the diastolic
blood pressure will remain the same. The heart rate will also increase after exercise.
2
