Question

Provide an example of how the Cardiovascular and Respiratory systems respond similarly  during an acute bout of aerobic exercise, and an example of how they respond differently  during an acute bout of aerobic exercise. Please specify the variable(s) to which you are referring and provide data from our lesson or a research article. As always, please include citation(s) for all resources you use.

Answer 1

Cardiovascular and respiratory system works in synchrony , demand for oxygen increases by muscles during aerobic exercise which is directly proportional to the intensity of exercise. During exercise cardiovascular arrangements include - increase in cardiac output, increase blood flow to the tissues as a result of increased blood pressure and increase in heart beat. These changes facilitate more blood supply to the tissues and hence more oxygen and nutrients. Now, these oxygenated blood pumped by the heart comes from lungs where right ventricle sends deoxygenated blood through pulmonary arteries and releases carbon dioxide there and takes up oxygen molecule at alveolar capillaries and brings oxygenated blood to the left atria and ventricle from where it is pumped by the ventricle. As more oxygenated blood is needed, respiratory arrangements occur and ventilation rate is increased due to which tidal volume is increased. As exercise intensity increases respiratory rate is likely to increase to supply enough oxygen from air and removal of waste products as a result of metabolism at tissue level.

So, this way respiratory and cardiovascular system work in synchrony to meet body's demand of nutrients and oxygen during aerobic exercise.

Cardiovascular system may be stimulated by various factors such as - increase in body temperature , decreased blood pressure, decreased blood volume etc. Changes may be at the level of higher center or at the level of organ system such as baroreceptors present in carotid sinus or aortic arch.

Whereas respiratory system is stimulated when there is excess carbon dioxide production during exercise, where chemoreceptors in brain stem detects these changes and increases ventilation in response.

So, difference lies in the way how this two systems are stimulated during exercise.