Effect of Five Years‘ Ageing on Ventilatory Capacity and Physical Work Capacity in Elderly People

Abstract

Abstract. The effect of five years' ageing on the ventilatory capacity and physical work capacity is studied on a sample of apparently healthy individuals of ages 57–71 years, representative of the population. The physiological functional regression for maximal expiratory volume per 1.0 second and maximal voluntary ventilatory capacity was about 6–9% for both sexes, and for physical work capacity somewhat greater, viz. 9–13% for the men and about 10–25% for the women. This finding is assumed to be due to the fact that the regression in physiological function takes place more rapidly for the circulatory than for the respiratory system. In this series a correlation, which has not been reported previously, was found between work load at a given pulse rate and age.