Ventilatory threshold and training heart rate in exercising cardiac patients
Goodman, L.S.; McKenzie, D.C.; Taunton, J.E.; Walters, M.B.
Canadian Journal of Sport Sciences 13(4): 220-224
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0833-1235 PMID: 3265356 Document Number: 315917
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between previously prescribed training heart rates (THR) for patients training for six months or more in a cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP), calculated Karvonen percentage heart rate reserve (THRk), and the ventilatory threshold (VT). In twenty male patients (ages 41-63) with documented coronary heart disease (CAD) [non-medicated] mean training heart rate (THR, 75% HRmax) was determined by a telemetry during training sessions. Incremental treadmill testing for determinations of the gas-exchange VT VOE vs. (VO2, Excess CO2) was performed, and the HR at the VT (VTHR) was determined. VO2max was 35.57 +/- 5.57 mL.kg-1.min-1; the VT, expressed as a percentage of VO2max, was 54.45%. The mean THR (133.8 +/- 13.4 bpm) and calculated THRk (141.1 +/- 9.74 bpm) were significantly greater (p less than .05) than the VTHR (124.8 +/- 15.5 bpm), indicating that VT occurs below intensities determined by other methods.