Short and Long Term Effects of Exercise on the Cardiovascular System

Question 1

What are the short term effects of exercise on the cardiovascular system?

Answer 1

• Increased Heart Rate (HR)
• Increased Stroke Volume (SV)
• Increased Cardiac Output (Q)- due to increase in SV and HR
• Increases in HR and SV are linked to intensity of exercise, higher intensity = greater rise.
• Intensity is related to fitness (If you are fitter your HR goes up slower).
• Vascular shunt mechanism activated
• Increased blood pressure/flow
• Decreased blood viscosity
• Increased blood temperature
• Increased Blood Pressure

Question 2

What are the long term effects of exercise on the cardiovascular system?

Answer 2

• Increased resting and exercising SV of the left ventricle.
• Resting HR reduced (resting Q stays the same).
• Maximum Q increased.
• Cardiac hypertrophy
• Decreased risk of cv disease
• Decreased blood pressure

Question 3

How do Warm-ups help the cardiovascular system

Answer 3

• Increases HR which increases venous return then increases stroke volume.
• This results in increased cardiac output.
• Reduced viscosity of blood
• Vascular shunt activated
• Decreased production of lactic acid (delays OBLA)
• More oxygenated blood to muscles due to increased blood flow
• Reduced build up on lactic acid/ Reduces DOMS/muscle soreness
• Increases blood temperature
• Reduces risk of injury - muscle strains
• Increased speed/strength of contraction due to increased muscle temperature
• Increased enzyme/metabolic activity

Question 4

How do cool downs help cardiovascular system?

Answer 4

Speeds up recovery by:
- Maintain respiratory and muscular pump mechanisms - increased venous return
- Prevents blood pooling - due to skeletal muscle pump
- Maintain venous return
- Maintain Q and SV - Starling’s Law
- Keeps capillaries dilated to flush out lactic acid and supply oxygen (vascular shunt mechanism continues for longer)