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Laboratory #4: Cardio-Respiratory Physiology

Jourdan Evans

SPSC 2275-002: Physiology of Exercise and Training

Ken Anderson and Moises Vega Rebolledo

April 5, 2023
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Part A: Ventilation – Quiz (1.5 Marks)

Participants will be asked to hold their breath for as long as possible. Subject will then repeat after
hyperventilating for 10 seconds. Explain the results.

As seen in Table 1.0, when asked to hold their breathe for as long as possible participant A lasted for

35 seconds where participant B lasted 28 seconds, and when completing a 10 second hyperventilation both

participants increased their breathe holding by 13 seconds and 17 seconds respectively. The act of

hyperventilation decreases the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the blood which is sensed by the

chemoreceptors in the aorta and ceratoid. At rest the average partial pressure of CO2 is between 35-45 mmHg

and the central nervous system initiates inspiration when partial pressure reaches the threshold of 50 mmHg,

by hyperventilating for 10 seconds the partial pressure is reduced to around 20mmHg which allows for a

longer time before the CO2 rises to the 50mmHg initiating the diaphragm and intercostal muscles to contract

and create an inhalation. The ventral respiratory center regulates the depth of inhalation so after the participant

had held there breathe for an extended period it is this respiratory center that initiates such a forceful

inhalation after their exhalation. The dorsal respiratory group is what regulated the participants

hyperventilation as it controls timing of inhalations.

PART B: Spirometry–Quiz (3 Marks)

Using a computerized Spirometer, class participants will have their Tidal Volume (TV), Forced Vital
Capacity (FVC)

a) Define TV, FVC and FEV1.0

Tidal volume is defined as the volume of air that enters and leaves the lungs each breathe while

at a resting state, it is approximately 500mL of air. The forced vital capacity is the maximum amount

of air that can be forcefully exhaled after a maximal inhalation. The forced expiratory volume in one

second refers to the maximum amount of air that can be forcefully exhaled in the first second of

exhalation after a maximal inhalation has occurred. All three of these measurements may be affected

by gender, height, weight, age, health, ethnicity, and environment.

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b) Explain how FEV1.0 is used to diagnose ‘obstructive’ and ‘restrictive’ pulmonary disorders.
Provided one example of an ‘obstructive’ and ‘restrictive’ pulmonary disorder.

FEV1.0 combined with the FVC creates a ratio, the FEV1.0/FVC ratio, which can identify

healthy, restrictive, or obstructive breathing as it gives a percentage. This percentage, when compared

to the average ‘healthy’ pulmonary system > 80%, outlines either a restrictive pulmonary disorder

where the percentage may be > 80% but when analyzing both the FVC and FEV1.0 individually either

may be below the normal range for the subjects age or gender. One example of a pulmonary restrictive

disorder is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), spirometry testing is one of the assessment methods

associated with diagnosing severity of IPF (Behr, 2013). An obstructive pulmonary disorder is seen in

the FEV1.0/FVC ratio as a percentage < 80%, one example being chronic obstructive pulmonary

disease (COPD). In Table 2.0 the results show that participant 2 may have obstructive breathing.

Researchers have found that FEV1.0 is a useful measurement when looking at the effects of various

inspiratory muscle training on COPD (Beaumont et al., 2015).

c) Identify one respiratory value a Spirometer cannot measure and relate that to the practical question
“is it better to take fewer larger breathes or more frequent shorter breathes.”

One value a Spirometer cannot measure is the residual volume, or the air that is always left in

the lungs that ensures that alveolar sacs remain inflated, and an exchange of gasses can continue. With

each breathe a person takes about 150mL of air does not reach the lungs or alveolar sacs, this means

that taking fewer but larger breaths obtains the best gas exchange. Larger breathes allow for as much

air as possible to enter the lungs which in turn allows for the most gas exchange in the alveolar sacs.
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PART C: O2 Saturation (2 Marks)

A subject will have their oxygen saturation measured across during an exercise protocol.

a) Explain the O2 saturation response during the bout of exercise

As exercise is performed O2 saturation may fluctuate because during exercise a person while start

to produce by-products from different metabolic reactions that occur during the exercise. CO 2 and blood

lactate rising means that there is less room for oxygen and oxygen is also being used up in these

metabolic reactions as well.

b) If breathing in a paper bag, what would you expect the O2 saturation response to be. Relate to a
practical example.

If a person were to breathe into a paper bag there O2 saturation would remain at a resting rate.

Breathing into a paper bag is used to prevent hyperventilation as a person breathes in more CO 2 than O2

which changes the partial pressure of CO2 in the blood and chemoreceptors signaling the medulla to

regulate breathing through the ventral and dorsal respiratory centers.

PART D: VO2 Max (6 Marks)

a) A demonstration of a VO2 max test will be conducted. Explain what a VO2 max test measures
AND explain what data an exercise physiologist can use to know if VO2 max has been reached.
(2 marks)

A VO2 max test measures how much oxygen is used by the body, and it is also used by

exercise physiologists to measure adaptations due to training. Exercise physiologist analyze

predict heart rate for the intensity comparatively to actual heart rate, along with a rate of

perceived exertion scale, blood lactate threshold, and RER which is the ratio of VCO2 / VO2.

Examples of these data points being used is if the person’s heart rate matches closely with what

the calculated heart rate should be for the intensity it is a sign that the VO 2 max is on the right

track. If a person does not end the VO2 max test at the highest end of the rate of perceived

exertion scale it is most likely that the test is inaccurate.

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b) An individual performs a VO2 max test and their value is 35 ml/O2/kg/min. After 6 months of
intense aerobic training, their VO2 max was re-tested and their value is now 44 ml/O2/kg/min.
With your understanding of aerobic adaptations, explain (2) aerobic training adaptations that you
think are most responsible (be sure to indicate why they are the most responsible). Identify and
explain two (2) additional physiological training adaptations that can increase aerobic
performance BUT may not directly positively influence the VO2 max score. (4 Marks)

Two aerobic adaptations that may indicate a raise in VO 2 max test value for 35

ml/O2/kg/min to 44 ml/O2/kg/min are increased tidal volume and increased capillarization in

muscles since it allows for more air to enter the lungs allowing for better pulmonary ventilation

and capillarization takes advantage of having more air by allowing more surface area for

diffusion of O2 into the muscle cells. Two adaptations which increase aerobic performance but

do not have an influence on VO2 max testing are that the blood volume increases and the liver

becomes more efficient at clearing lactate because an increase in plasma in blood helps to dilute

the effects that lactate has on the body allowing for longer aerobic exercise without crossing the

lactate threshold while the liver ups the enzymes in the Cori cycle which helps clear lactate out

of the blood faster which accomplishes the same as the increased plasma.
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References

Beaumont, M., Mialon, P., Le Ber-Moy, C., Lochon, C., Péran, L., Pichon, R., Gut-Gobert, C.,
Leroyer, C., Morelot-Panzini, C., & Couturaud, F. (2015). Inspiratory muscle training
during pulmonary rehabilitation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A randomized
trial. Chronic Respiratory Disease, 12(4), 305–312.
[Link]

Behr, J. (2013). The diagnosis and treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Deutsches
Arzteblatt International, 110(51–52), 875–881. [Link]

Rebolledo, M. V. (Winter, 2023). SPSC: 2275 Physiology of exercise and training: Laboratory
#4: Cardio-respiratory Systems [Class handout]. Blackboard. [Link]
[Link]/ultra/courses/_109565_1/cl/outline?legacyUrl=~2Fwebapps~2Fgradeboo
k~2Fdo~2Fstudent~2FviewGrades%3Fcourse_id%3D_109565_1%26callback%3Dcours
e.
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Appendix

Ventilation Data:

Table 1.0 Part A: ventilation data

Participant Trial Time (sec)
1 Normal 35
Hyperventilating 48
2 Normal 28
Hyperventilating 45

Spirometry Data:

Table 2.0 - Spirometry data of 4 Participants

Weight FVC FEV1 FEV1/FVC
Participant Sex Height TV (ml)
(lbs) (L) (L) Ratio
1 Female 160 5'7'' ±500 4.41 3.7 83%
2 Male 168 5'7'' ±500 5.03 3.69 73%
3 Male 148 5’7” ±500 3.05 2.84 93%
4 Male 188 6’0” ±500 5.82 4.72 81%
Notes: Data Taken from 2275 section Fall 2022 and Winter 2023. _

Table 3.0 Part C: O2 saturation and exercise

Participant Trial O2 saturation HR (bpm)
1 Rest 97% 79

2 Pushups 94% 119

3 Squat-OHP circuit 95% 150

4 V-sit 97% 97