Older adults who have higher blood pressure during exercise and delayed blood pressure recovery afterward may be at risk for future health problems, according to Boston University researchers.
Data from participants in the Framingham Heart Study was used to evaluate the link between blood pressure changes and recovery and indicators of preclinical disease. The average participant age was 58. Investigators found that both higher exercise systolic and diastolic blood pressure were tied to greater odds of developing hypertension in later life. In addition, participants with delayed blood pressure recovery after exercise were more at risk of cardiovascular disease and death.
“The way our blood pressure changes during and after exercise provides important information on whether we will develop disease in the future,” said corresponding author Vanessa Xanthakis, Ph.D. “This may help investigators evaluate whether this information can be used to better identify people who are at higher risk.”
In other clinical news:
Hypertension practice guidelines released: The International Society of Hypertension has released practice guidelines for the management of hypertension in adults, aged 18 years and older. The evidence-based guidelines were published in the June 2020 issue of the journal Hypertension.
Lowering blood pressure linked to reduced dementia risk: In a meta-analysis of clinical trials, participants whose blood pressure was lowered using antihypertensive drugs had a significantly reduced risk of incident dementia or cognitive impairment than their peers in a control group.
