Cardiovascular responses during submaximal cycling with and without left-lateral tilting: insights for practical applications of stress echocardiography

We investigated the cardiorespiratory responses to semi-supine exercise with (SS-45°) and without (SS-0°) a left-lateral tilt in fifteen adults, at fixed power output (70W) and matched heart rates. At 70W, oxygen uptake and heart rate reduced from upright to SS-0° then increased to SS-45° (p<0.05). At matched heart rates, oxygen uptake and efficiency were lowest in SS-45° (p<0.05). Left-lateral tilting should not be performed under the assumption that each position replicates the same cardiorespiratory responses. Novelty • Cardiorespiratory responses to exercise are influenced by left-lateral tilting, which should not be performed under the assumption that physiological responses are replicated between left-lateral positions.