ventilatory threshold is point of max exercise capacity


  • the amount of air being moved (VeV_e) now exceeds the amount of oxygen and CO2 being exchanged (VO2V_{O_2} and VCO2V_{CO_2}), and this gets worse as work increases. This causes a change in slope of Ve/VO2V_e/V_{O_2} and Ve/VCO2V_e/V_{CO_2}

  • this threshold point is typically when VO2V_{O_2} is at 40-60% peak VO2V_{O_2}

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  • elevated ventilatory threshold correlates with better athletic training (takes longer to reach anaerobic threshold)
  • normal ventilatory threshold could mean poor effort but could also mean diseases
  • decreased ventilatory threshold means diseases

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Footnotes

  1. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing, A contemporary and versatile clinical tool

  2. A Practical Approach?