Exercise as Therapy: Hypertension

Source: Hemophilia Federation of America 

Your heart has to work harder when blood pressure is high, and your risk for heart disease, stroke and other problems goes up. Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure won’t go away without treatment. That could include lifestyle changes and, if your doctor prescribes it, medicine. The lower your blood pressure, the better your chances of delaying or preventing a heart attack or a stroke.1

Background

Blood pressure is the force of blood flow inside your blood vessels. When you’re at the doctor’s office and they check your blood pressure the nurse or doctor record your blood pressure as two numbers, such as 120/80, which you may hear them say as “120 over 80.” Both these numbers are very important. The first number is the pressure as your heart beats and pushes blood through the blood vessels, systolic pressure. The second number is the pressure when the vessels relax between heartbeats, diastolic pressure.1 The units or symbol for blood pressure is denoted by “mm Hg” representing millimeter of Mercury.

Effects of Physical Training

Acute physical activity induces a decrease in blood pressure that typically lasts 4-10 hours after cessation of exercise, but that may last 22 hours. The blood pressure decrease averages 15 mm Hg systolic and 4 mm Hg diastolic. People with hypertension can thus achieve normotensive or normal blood pressure values during much of the day, which is considered to be of major clinical significance. The blood pressure lowering effect of physical training is considered to be multifactorial, but seems to be independent of weight loss and energy expenditure as well.2

Type and Amount of Training

           All patients with hypertension, both those in treatment and those not receiving treatment benefit from physical training. The exercise should primarily consist of aerobic exercise of moderate intensity.2 Exercise remains a cornerstone therapy for the primary prevention, treatment, and control of hypertension. Frequency for exercise is most preferably all days of the week with moderate intensity. Time of exercise should be greater than or equal to 30 minutes of continuous or accumulated physical activity per day, while type should include primarily endurance physical activity supplemented by resistance exercise.3

Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2015)

 References:

1American Diabetes Association. (2014, January 4). High blood pressure (hypertension). Retrieved from: http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/high-blood-pressure-hypertension.html

2Pedersen, B.K., & Saltin, B. (2006). Evidence for prescribing exercise as therapy in chronic disease. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, (16)S1, 3-63. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0838.2006.00520.x

3Pescatello, L.S., Franklin, B.A., Fagard, R., Farquhar, W.B., Kelley, G.A., Ray, C.A., American College of Sports Medicine. (2004). American college of sports medicine position stand: Exercise and hypertension. Journal of Medicine Science Sports Exercise, 36(3):533-53.