Impact of COVID-19 on exercise pathophysiology: a combined cardiopulmonary and echocardiographic exercise study
Claudia Baratto, Sergio Caravita, Andrea Faini, Giovanni Battista Perego, Michele Senni, Luigi P. Badano, Gianfranco Parati
Abstract
At the time of hospital discharge, patients with COVID-19 present with reduced functional capacity and exercise hyperventilation. Peripheral factors, namely reduced oxygen extraction (myopathy) and anemia, which are not fully compensated by a supernormal cardiac output response, account for exercise limitation before exhaustion of the respiratory reserve. Enhanced chemoreflex sensitivity, rather increased dead space, mainly accounts for exercise hyperventilation. The pulmonary vascular response to exercise circulation of survived patients with COVID-19 does not present major pathological changes.
Topics & Concepts
HyperventilationMedicineCardiologyPathophysiologyInternal medicineCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Cardiac outputRespiratory systemVentilation (architecture)Physical exerciseHemodynamicsDiseaseInfectious disease (medical specialty)EngineeringMechanical engineeringCardiovascular and exercise physiologyCardiovascular Effects of ExerciseHeart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control