Cardiovascular Drift

Cardiovascular drift (CVD, CV_drift) is the phenomenon where some cardiovascular responses begin a time dependent change, or "drift" after around 5-10 minutes of exercise in a warm or neutral environment (90 Fahrenheit+) without an increase in workload^{[citation needed]}. It is characterised by decreases in mean arterial pressure and stroke volume and a parallel increase in heart rate^{[citation needed]}. It has been shown that a reduction in stroke volume due to dehydration is almost always due to the increase in internal temperature^{[citation needed]}. It is influenced by many factors, most notably the ambient temperature, internal temperature, hydration and the amount of muscle tissue activated during exercise^{[citation needed]}. To promote cooling, blood flow to the skin is increased, resulting in a shift in fluids from blood plasma to the skin tissue^{[citation needed]}. This results in a decrease in pulmonary arterial pressure and reduced stroke volume in the heart^{[citation needed]}. To maintain cardiac output at reduced pressure, the heart rate must be increased.

Effects of cardiovascular drift are mainly focused around a higher RPE (Rate of Perceived Effort); that is, a person will feel like they are expending more energy when they are not^{[citation needed]}. This creates a mental block that can inhibit performance greatly^{[citation needed]}.

Prevention or minimization of cardiovascular drift includes consistently replacing fluids and maintaining electrolyte balance during exercise, acclimatization to the environment in which one is performing, and weight training^{[citation needed]} to supplement cardiovascular efforts.

References[edit | edit source]

McArdle W., Katch F., Katch V., "Exercise physiology: energy, nutrition, and human performance, Edition 6", Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007
Cerny F., Burton H., "Exercise physiology for health care professionals", Human Kinetics, 2001
Kounalakis S., Nassis G., Koskolou M., Geladas N., "The role of active muscle mass on exercise-induced cardiovascular drift", Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, Sept, 2008
Maher, Maurice. "Cardiac Drift and Ironman Performance." Multisport Solutions. N.p., 24 Aug. 2012. Web. 11 Dec. 2013.
Coyle EF, González-Alonso J. Cardiovascular drift during prolonged exercise: new perspectives. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2001 Apr;29(2):88-92. Review. PubMed PMID 11337829.

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