Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 41, Issue 1 57-61, Copyright © 1976 by American Physiological Society
Thermoregulatory response of women to intermittent work in the heat
B. L. Drinkwater, J. E. Denton, P. B. Raven and S. M. Horvath
Seven women worked intermittently in three randomly ordered sessions at 75%
Vo2max at three temperatures, 28 degrees C (45% rh) 35 degrees C (65% rh),
and 48 degrees C (10% rh) and recovered in a cool environment (22 degrees
C) after each 6-min work period. Although Tre was higher in each successive
work period, the ambient temperature had no effect on the cardiovascular or
respiratory responses or on deltaTre. In all conditions SV decreased with
time with a concomitant increase in HR to maintain Q. A fall in mean blood
pressure from the initial to final measurement was due entirely to a
decrease in diastolic pressure. The final Tre for these women was
approximately equal to that previously reported for men working
continuously for 1 h under conditions equivalent to time-weighted average
of the thermal and metabolic loads during work and recovery in this study.
