THE HEMODYNAMIC RESPONSE TO EXERCISE IN PATIENTS WITH LAENNEC'S CIRRHOSIS 1

Previous studies in this laboratory have shown that some patients with chronic alcoholism and Laennec's cirrhosis at rest in the supine position have a high cardiac output and low peripheral vascular resistance (1). The cardiac output in such subjects is increased out of proportion to the oxygen consumption, i.e., the arteriovenous oxygen difference is unusually small. The present study of the hemodynamic response to exercise in patients with Laennec's cirrhosis was carried out to assess the cardiac reserve, and to determine whether individuals with elevated cardiac output and lowered peripheral vascular resistance at rest are capable of further decrease in peripheral resistance during exercise.