AORTIC AND PERIPHERAL-BLOOD PRESSURE DURING ISOMETRIC AND DYNAMIC EXERCISE

The purpose of this study was to compare aortic blood pressure (AOR) t o peripheral measurements by the Riva-Rocci/Korotkov (RRK) and Finapre s continuous finger pressure (FIN) methods during dynamic and static e xercise. A tip manometer was introduced in the ascending aorta after c oronary angiography in 7 cardiac patients with good exercise capabilit y. Static exercise was of moderate intensity and led to an increase of average diastolic and systolic AOR of 20 and 18 mmHg, respectively. T he corresponding RKK values were 20 and 30 mmHg and the FIN values wer e 16 and 14 mmHg, respectively. In maximal cycle ergometry the discrep ancies were larger, especially in the 4 subjects who reached 80% or mo re of predicted maximal work load. Diastolic and systolic increases in AOR in these 4 subjects were 12 and 38 mmHg, respectively. The RRK va lues were 17 and 76 mmHg. Increases in FIN values of 17 and 74 mmHg fo r diastolic and systolic measurements, respectively, were found. The p eripheral FIN and RRK measurements give a systolic increase that is tw ice as large as that for AOR. It is concluded that RRK and FIN greatly overestimate the load to the cardiovascular system in dynamic exercis e. When the cardiovascular load is estimated by the rate-pressure prod uct, RRK produces an increase of 197%, FIN of 181%, while AOR gives an increase of only 133%. This suggests that the present criteria for bl ood pressure in exercise testing should be critically examined.