Le seuil ventilatoire : état des connaissances physiologiques

During his talk, R. Richard presented the observational data that underlies the development of the ventilatory threshold concept. He then discussed the current scientific data on that are the basis of the approaches recommending the use of ventilatory thresholds as indicators to individualize patients'endurance training. Although the ventilatory threshold concept is based on the identification of zones where the ventilatory flow varies depending on the power of the muscular exercise, the origin of the stimuli involved in triggering this response continues to be debated : most particularly, the ventilatory compensation model of a state of metabolic acidification has been seriously challenged. The association between objective variations of ventilatory flow and the level of dyspnea have also been challenged. Nevertheless, the use of ventilatory thresholds, associated with the use of the dyspnea threshold, remains useful to optimize the codification and individualization of a muscular exercise training program in patients with obstructive pulmonary disease.