A Comparison of the Exercise Response in Anxiety States and Normal Controls

Abstract

 

1. Twenty normal controls, 10 anxiety states (with somatic anxiety symptoms but with no complaint of poor exercise response) and 10 effort syndrome patients are compared regarding their responses to moderate exercise on a bicycle ergometer.

2. O₂ uptake, lactate rise and pulse area were determined after exercise for each group.

3. The anxiety states as well as the effort syndromes had a significantly poor exercise response compared with the normal controls.

4. O₂ consumption after standard work is probably the most satisfactory quantitation of exercise response, but the three tests collectively give the most reliable index.