A comparison of the cardiovascular responses to treadmill and bicycles ergometer exercise in healthy male Nigerians

Abstract

Cardiovascular responses to maximal exercise testing with treadmill (TD) and bicycle ergometers (BE) were compared in 60 healthy male Nigerians aged 20-45.years. The duration of exercise (DOE), maximal heart rate (MHR), peak systolic blood pressure (PSBP), and peak rate pressure product (PRPP) values were higher with TD than BE (P < 0.0001). The MHR correlated significantly with the DOE in both exercise modes (r = 0.5) but only with age in the TD mode (r = -0.4; P < 0.05). Twenty of these subjects (aged 20-26 years) were further randomized to commence with either TD or BE and afterwards to proceed with the second exercise. Haemo-dynamic responses were significantly higher at submaximal exercise on BE than TD, while during maximal exercise these responses were significantly higher on TD than BE. The rate of perceived exertion was different for two exercise modes. Seventeen subjects (85%) preferred the TD while 3 (15%) preferred the BE for their personal physical exercise programme. Factors such as varying exercise test responses, exercise mode preference, and rate of perceived exertion should be taken into consideration whenever exercise testing or training is required in various individuals with or without heart disease.