Exercise intensity can be prescribed using a variety of indices, such as rating of perceived exertion, heart rate, levels of absolute intensity (e.g., metabolic equivalents), and levels of relative intensity [e.g., percentage of maximal aerobic capacity (% V ˙ O 2 m a x ) or percentage of oxygen uptake reserve (% V ˙ O 2 R )]. Heart rate has a linear relationship with oxygen uptake, is easy to measure, and requires relatively inexpensive monitoring equipment, so it is commonly used to monitor exercise intensity. During heat stress, however, cardiovascular adjustments - including a rise in heart rate that is disproportionate to absolute intensity - result in diminished aerobic capacity and performance. These adjustments include cardiovascular drift, the progressive rise in heart rate and fall in stroke volume over time during prolonged, constant-rate exercise. A variety of factors have been shown to modulate the magnitude of cardiovascular drift, e.g., hyperthermia, dehydration, exercise intensity, and ambient temperature. Regardless of the mode of manipulation, decreases in stroke volume with cardiovascular drift are associated with proportionally similar decreases in V ˙ O 2 m a x , which affects the relationship between heart rate and relative metabolic intensity (% V ˙ O 2 m a x or % V ˙ O 2 R ). This review summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding the influence of cardiovascular drift and reduced V ˙ O 2 m a x on exercise intensity prescription in hot conditions.
Keywords: Cardiovascular function; hyperthermia; thermoregulation.
© 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.