Discrepancy between heart rate and oxygen consumption during work in the warmth

Abstract

These experiments compare the usefulness of oxygen consumption and heart rate as indicators of the strain produced by repetitive work in various environments. When the length of the rest periods was determined by the time for oxygen consumption to return to its resting level, a steady state of heart rate and oxygen consumption was achieved in a comfortable environment. In warm surroundings, oxygen consumption reached again a steady state but the heart rate increased during repetitive work cycles. When the duration of the rest periods was arbitrarily fixed, both oxygen consumption and heart rate reached constant steady states in repeated work cycles when the environmental stress was light. When it was severe, oxygen consumption remained at the same average value from cycle to cycle and failed to indicate the presence of accumulated strain which was revealed by increasing heart rates. repetitive work; warm environment; female humans Submitted on July 13, 1961