THE INFLUENCE OF THERMOREGULATORY MECHANISMS ON POSTEXERCISE HYPOTENSION IN HUMANS

1. To examine the influence of the rate of heat loss on the magnitude of post-exercise hypotension, subjects were exposed to three different environmental conditions during recovery from bicycle exercise. 2. When subjects recovered in warm conditions both core temperature (measured in the external auditory meatus) and mean skin temperature were significantly elevated 60 min after the cessation of exercise. This attenuation of heat loss was associated with a significant reduction in post-exercise mean arterial pressure. 3. In contrast, when subjects recovered in neutral or cool conditions both core temperature and mean arterial pressure had returned to baseline levels 60 min after exercise. 4. These results indicate that persistence of peripheral vasodilatation during recovery from exercise, and therefore the magnitude of post-exercise hypotension, is dependent upon thermoregulatory-induced changes in skin blood flow.