Effect of Exercise on the Pulmonary Blood Volume in Patients with Acquired Heart Disease

Abstract

The effect of supine exercise on the pulmonary blood volume was studied in 14 patients with valvular heart disease and in one patient with cardiomyopathy. Statistically significant increases occurred in the pulmonary blood volume (88.6 ± S.E. 20.9 ml./M. ² ) and in the central blood volume (121.9 ± S.E. 29.2 ml./M. ² ), whereas left atrial to brachial arterial volume remained unchanged. These results support the concept that, with exercise, increases in central blood volume reflect increases in pulmonary blood volume in patients with acquired heart disease. The increase in pulmonary blood volume and in pulmonary distending pressure suggests a passive expansion of the pulmonary vascular bed with exercise.