Selected Cardiac and Metabolic Responses to Pseudoephedrine with Exercise

Abstract
Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride was evaluated at two dosage levels in six normal healthy males, at rest and during submaximal exercise. Although there appeared to be a dose-related rise in resting heart rate, it was not statistically significant. The drug had no effect on the amount of time required to reach 85 per cent maximal predicted heart rates while on the treadmill or on the amount of time required to recover baseline heart rates. Also, there was no drug effect observed on blood pressure at rest, during exercise, or in the recovery period. There was a significant increase in the frequency of sinus arrhythmias after the 120-mg pseudoephedrine dose. There appeared to be no drug effect on postexercise blood glucose and insulin levels.