Scientists from Boston University found higher blood pressure during exercise and delayed blood pressure recovery after exercise are associated with a higher risk of hypertension, heart disease and death among middle-aged to older adults.
The research is published in the Journal of the American Heart Association and was conducted by Vanessa Xanthakis et al.
Blood pressure responses to exercise are important markers of heart disease and mortality risk in young to middle-aged adults.
However, few studies have examined the associations of midlife blood pressure responses to exercise with the risk of heart outcomes and mortality in later life.
In the study, the team evaluated the association of blood pressure changes and recovery with indicators of preclinical disease among participants from the Framingham Heart Study (average age 58 years, 53 percent women).
They then followed these participants to assess whether these blood pressure changes were associated with the risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease or dying.
The team found both higher exercise systolic blood pressure (SBP) and exercise diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were linked to a greater risk of developing high blood pressure.
Additionally, both delayed SBP and DBP recovery after exercise was linked to a higher risk of heart disease and death.
The team says the way the blood pressure changes during and after exercise provides important information on whether we will develop the disease in the future.
This may help doctors evaluate whether this information can be used to better identify people who are at higher risk of developing hypertension and CVD, or dying later in life.
The team recommends that people know their blood pressure numbers, speak to their physician regarding changes during and after exercise and follow a healthy lifestyle (including a regular physical activity schedule) to help lower the risk of disease later in life.
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