Systemic and forearm vascular resistance changes after upright bicycle exercise in man.

1. Blood pressure, cardiac function and forearm blood flow following voluntary maximal upright bicycle exercise were studied in thirteen normal volunteers in a cross-over design against a control day. 2. After exercise there was a short-lived (5-10 min) increase in systolic blood pressure, peak aortic blood velocity and aortic acceleration suggesting a persistence of the positive inotropic influence of exercise. 3. Systemic vasodilation, which was seen immediately exercise stopped, lasted at least 60 min. This was associated with a reduction in diastolic blood pressure for the whole hour. After 30 min systolic blood pressure was also reduced. Heart rate and cardiac output were still significantly elevated and systemic vascular resistance still reduced at 60 min post-exercise. 4. A non-exercising limb vascular bed (forearm) showed a marked vasodilation for 1 h after predominately leg exercise indicating the presence of a vasodilatory influence affecting vascular beds other than the exercising muscle groups.