Compensatory vasodilatation during hypoxic exercise: mechanisms responsible for matching oxygen supply to demand

Hypoxia can have profound influences on the circulation. In humans, acute exposure to moderate hypoxia has been demonstrated to result in vasodilatation in the coronary, cerebral, splanchnic and skeletal muscle vascular beds. The combination of submaximal exercise and hypoxia produces a ‘compensator...

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Published inThe Journal of physiology Vol. 590; no. 24; pp. 6321 - 6326
Main Authors Casey, Darren P., Joyner, Michael J.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2012
Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
Blackwell Science Inc
Subjects
Adaptation, Physiological
Animals
Exercise
Humans
Hyperemia - blood
Hyperemia - physiopathology
Hypoxia
Hypoxia - blood
Hypoxia - physiopathology
Muscle Contraction
Muscle, Skeletal - blood supply
Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism
Musculoskeletal system
Oxygen
Oxygen - blood
Oxygen Consumption
Symposium Section Reviews: Blood Flow Regulation: From Rest to Maximal Exercise
Vasoconstriction
Vasodilation
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Summary:Hypoxia can have profound influences on the circulation. In humans, acute exposure to moderate hypoxia has been demonstrated to result in vasodilatation in the coronary, cerebral, splanchnic and skeletal muscle vascular beds. The combination of submaximal exercise and hypoxia produces a ‘compensatory’ vasodilatation and augmented blood flow in contracting skeletal muscles relative to the same level of exercise under normoxic conditions. This augmented vasodilatation exceeds that predicted by a simple sum of the individual dilator responses to hypoxia alone and normoxic exercise. Additionally, this enhanced hypoxic exercise hyperaemia is proportional to the hypoxia‐induced fall in arterial oxygen (O2) content, thus preserving muscle O2 delivery and ensuring it is matched to demand. Several vasodilator pathways have been proposed and examined as likely regulators of skeletal muscle blood flow in response to changes in arterial O2 content. The purpose of this review is to put into context the present evidence regarding mechanisms responsible for the compensatory vasodilatation observed during hypoxic exercise in humans. Along these lines, this review will highlight the interactions between various local metabolic and endothelial derived substances that influence vascular tone during hypoxic exercise.
Bibliography:The Journal of Physiology
which took place at the Main Meeting of The Physiological Society, Edinburgh, UK on 3 July 2012. It was commissioned by the Editorial Board and reflects the views of the authors.
Blood flow regulation: from rest to maximal exercise
This report was presented at
Symposium on
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This report was presented at The Journal of Physiology Symposium on Blood flow regulation: from rest to maximal exercise, which took place at the Main Meeting of The Physiological Society, Edinburgh, UK on 3 July 2012. It was commissioned by the Editorial Board and reflects the views of the authors.
ISSN:0022-3751
1469-7793
DOI:10.1113/jphysiol.2012.242396