Fibrinolytic and cardiovascular changes mediated by stress during competition and practicecompetition

This study aimed at investigating physiological [systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate, (HR)] and biochemical [tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA)] responses to stress in 16 adolescent swimmers, ranging in age from 13 to 16 years (mean age 14.6, SD= +/- 2.71) during swimming competition and swimming practice competition. The race selected for the purpose of the present study, was the 100m freestyle swimming event. Results indicated an increase in participants' SBP, DBP, HR and t-PA prior to the 100m freestyle swimming competition, compared to those of the swimming practice-competition. These findings clearly demonstrate that a swimming competition is a more stressful situation than a swimming practice-competition. Both the physiological and biochemical responses to stress, before swimming competition or swimming practice-competition, failed to predict swimming performance.