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Heart rate recovery normality data recorded in response to a maximal exercise test in physically active men

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European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Despite a growing clinical interest in determining the heart rate recovery (HRR) response to exercise, the limits of a normal HRR have not yet been well established.

Purpose

This study was designed to examine HRR following a controlled maximal exercise test in healthy, physically active adult men.

Methods

The subjects recruited (n = 789) performed a maximal stress test on a treadmill. HRR indices were calculated by subtracting the first and third minute heart rates (HRs) during recovery from the maximal HR obtained during stress testing and designated these as HRR-1 and HRR-3, respectively. The relative change in HRR was determined as the decrease in HR produced at the time points 1 and 3 min after exercise as a percentage of the peak HR (%HRR-1/HRpeak and %HRR-3/HRpeak, respectively). Percentile values of HRR-1 and HRR-3 were generated for the study population.

Results

Mean HHR-1 and HHR-3 were 15.24 ± 8.36 and 64.58 ± 12.17 bpm, respectively, and %HRR-1/HRpeak and %HRR-3/HRpeak were 8.60 ± 4.70 and 36.35 ± 6.79 %, respectively. Significant correlation was detected between Peak VO2 and HRR-3 (r = 0.36; p < 0.001) or %HRR-3/HRpeak (r = 0.23; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Our study provides normality data for HRR following a maximal Ergometry test obtained in a large population of physically active men.

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Abbreviations

BMI:

Body mass index

HR:

Heart rate

HRR:

Heart rate recovery

HRrest :

Heart rate at rest

Peak VO2 :

Peak oxygen uptake

RER:

Respiratory exchange ratio

VO2 :

Oxygen uptake

VO2max:

Maximal oxygen uptake

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Acknowledgments

This study was conducted at the installations of the OHP Medical Center, Reebok Sports Club Madrid.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Ethical standards

The study protocol was approved by the review board of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and comply with the current laws of Spain.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Madrid, Spain

    Davinia Vicente-Campos

  2. Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Aurora Martín López

  3. Centro Médico del Deporte OHP, Reebok Sports Club, Madrid, Spain

    María Jesús Nuñez

  4. Grupo FEBIO, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Jose López Chicharro

  5. Universidad Mayor, Santiago de Chile, Chile

    Jose López Chicharro

Authors
  1. Davinia Vicente-Campos
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  2. Aurora Martín López
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  3. María Jesús Nuñez
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  4. Jose López Chicharro
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Davinia Vicente-Campos.

Additional information

Communicated by Massimo Pagani.

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Vicente-Campos, D., López, A.M., Nuñez, M.J. et al. Heart rate recovery normality data recorded in response to a maximal exercise test in physically active men. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 1123–1128 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2847-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2847-4

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