Acute Responses
Acute Cardiovascular System Responses
During exercise, the cardiovascular system needs to deliver greater amounts of oxygen and energy substrates to the working muscles. This is done to meet the increasing demands of the activity. The focus is on getting more blood to the working muscles to meet this need and to speed up the removal of carbon dioxide and other wastes. In order to do this the cardiovascular system undergoes a number of changes, including:
Cardiac Output
Blood Pressure
Differences in blood pressure occurs because more blood is being pumped out per beat/minute and therefore it causes an increase in pressure.
Venous Return
This occurs so than an increase in cardiac output can take place. When there is more blood being delivered to the heart, more can be pumped back out into the body to deliver oxygen to the muscles, and carbon dioxide to the lungs.
Redistribution of Blood Flow
Oxygen Consumption / Arteriovenous Oxygen Difference
This response occurs to increase the amount of oxygen that is delivered and used by the working muscles.