FRS 001 — Sec. 010 —
(1 unit) — CRN 92601 — W 10:00-10:50am — 107 Wellman
Exercise and the Cardiovascular System in Health and Disease
Instructor: Charles Stebbins, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine,
School of Medicine
Description: This seminar will examine the effects of exercise
on the cardiovascular system under a variety of circumstances. The aims are to:
1) understand the basic function and control of the cardiovascular system during
exercise; 2) examine differences in cardiovascular responses to exercise caused
by factors such as environmental temperature, exercise conditioning, work enhancing
drugs, altitude, and nutrition; and, 3) explore the role of chronic exercise in
the prevention and/or management of diseases such as coronary artery disease and
hypertension. The goal of this seminar is to teach students how to approach and
understand the function of a biological system and how such a system can adapt
to changes in the environment. A second goal is to introduce the scientific method
as a tool for developing and answering critical scientific questions.
Format: The seminar will meet for 1 hr each week for 8 weeks.
Students will be given specific topics which they will present to the rest of
the class. The information for these presentations will come from basic textbooks,
journals and handouts. There will be open discussion during the presentation.
At the end of each class meeting, students will develop a testable hypothesis
based on the content of the presentation. The students will work in pairs of two
and write a brief paper summarizing their presentation. Students will be required
to perform outside reading to prepare for the presentations and to write the paper.
The paper will focus on the main points of the student presentation and will consist
of 3-4 typed pages. Grading: Students will be graded on
the quality of their presentation (1/3) and paper (1/3), and class participation
(1/3).
About the Instructor: Dr. Stebbins is a professor in the Department
of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine. His research interests
are regulation of the cardiovascular system during exercise. He has focused on
activation of cardiovascular reflexes during muscle contraction and hormonal control
of blood flow during exercise. Presently, he is studying the potential for dietary
supplementation with fish oils to enhance cardiovascular function during exercise.
Dr. Stebbins teaches in the Medical Physiology course for first year medical students
and Advanced Physiology and Cardiorespiratory Physiology During Exercise for graduate
students.