THE EFFECT OF EXERCISE ON PERCEIVED EXERTION, BP AND HR AT THE VENTILATORY THRESHOLD. THE HERITAGE FAMILY STUDY.

543 The chronic effects of exercise on ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate (HR) and rate-pressure product (RPP) at the ventilatory threshold (VT) were investigated in 442 sedentary Caucasian and African-American men (n=228, age range=17-65, mean=35.1±13.9, ±SD) and women (n=214, age range=17-65, mean=32.5±12.1, ±SD) in the HERITAGE Family Study (HERITAGE). Cycle ergometer training was performed and monitored in the lab three times a week for 20 weeks starting at 55% VO2max and ending at 75% VO2max. VT was determined using standardized ventilatory methods pre- and post-training and RPE, HR and SBP were interpolated at VT from incremental measurements. RPE, HR, SBP and RPP at pre-training VT workload decreased significantly post-training (−2.7±0.15 [−25%] Borg '6-20' units, −15.4±0.96 [−12%] beats/min, −11.1±0.84 [−7%] mmHg, −3826±12.7 [−18%]HR × SBP respectively, p<.0001, ±SE). No significant post-training reductions in resting HR, SBP or RPP were found. Pre-training VO2 at VT (17.7±4.3 ml/kg/min≈5METS) was similar to that reported for common activities of daily living (ADL). These data show that HERITAGE training reduced participants' RPE, SBP, HR and RPP for intensities of physical activities required by ADL. Thus, HERITAGE participants should be able post-training to perform ADL with less perceived effort, a lower HR, lower SBP and reduced myocardial O2 requirements as estimated by the RPP. Supported by NHLBI HL47317 and NIH MO1-RR000400.