Catecholamine concentrations are known to increase sharply in the blood at work rates above the blood lactate threshold (LT); thus, we hypothesized that the double product (DP, heart rate-systolic blood pressure product) may also abruptly increase at work rates above the LT. Ninety healthy students performed a stepwise incremental test on a cycle ergometer. The slopes of the two regression lines below and above the LT for the heart rate (HR), the indirectly measured systolic blood pressure (SBP), and the DP, respectively, were compared using VO2 as an independent variable. For all three parameters the slope of the regression line above the LT was significantly higher than that below the LT. Although either the same or a lower slope was found in the HR (N = 23) or SBP (N = 22) responses in some subjects above the LT as compared with that below the LT, a steeper DP slope above the LT was evident in all 90 subjects. The same results were also obtained during 4-min constant work rate exercise sessions at a variety of submaximal intensities performed in a random order in seven subjects. In addition, we established the DP break point (DPBP) determining protocol with a fairly good test-retest reliability (r = 0.951) and a correlation coefficient between the DPBP and the LT (r = 0.900). These results suggest that the DP increases more steeply above the LT, and, as a result, the DPBP is considered to be a valid and useful parameter as a marker of the LT.

No abstract

A placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study was undertaken in 10 normal subjects to examine the effects of arotinolol (10 mg bid), a nonselective beta blocker with alpha-blocking activity, on exercise capacity and hormone levels during exercise after a 2-week treatment period. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) and blood lactic acid concentration (LA) were measured during progressive exercise testing. An exercise intensity equivalent to 4 mmol/l of LA was used for the constant workload exercise test. Humoral factors were measured after 20 minutes of constant workload exercise. The administration of arotinolol significantly decreased systolic blood pressure and heart rate at rest and during exercise, but diastolic blood pressure did not change. No significant difference was found between arotinolol and placebo with regard to VO2 max and maximal workload. Plasma renin activity (PRA), aldosterone (PAC), and norepinephrine (NE) levels at rest and during exercise did not differ between the two treatments. In contrast, plasma epinephrine (EN) levels at rest and during exercise were significantly greater with arotinolol. Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) at rest did not differ between the two treatments. However, exercise caused a significant increase in ANP after arotinolol treatment. These findings suggest that arotinolol decreases blood pressure and heart rate without affecting exercise capacity.