Cardiovascular responses to dynamic exercise.

Dynamic exercise results in a marked increase in oxygen consumption. This increase is accomplished by a significant increase in heart rate and peripheral oxygen extraction and, to a lesser extent, by an increase in stroke volume. There is a small increase in mean systemic and pulmonary artery pressures and marked decrease in systemic and pulmonary resistances with exercise. The result of changes in focal vasomotor tone is that a greater percentage of the cardiac output is directed to the working muscles.