NONINVASIVE AMBULATORY 24-HOUR BLOOD-PRESSURE IN PATIENTS WITH HIGH NORMAL BLOOD-PRESSURE AND EXAGGERATED SYSTOLIC PRESSURE RESPONSE TO EXERCISE

Few studies have investigated the significance of abnormal increases i n systolic pressure during exercise in patients with high normal blood pressure and its correlation with 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure m onitoring and left ventricular structure. This study was performed in 30 sedentary subjects (42+/-4 years old) with high normal blood pressu re. Fifteen subjects presenting <220 mm Hg systolic pressure during er gometric exercise were compared with 15 others with systolic pressure greater than or equal to 220 mm Hg. Average 24-hour (systolic, 127+/-5 versus 142+/-4 mm Hg, P<.01; diastolic, 82+/-4 versus 92+/-3 mm Hg, P <.01), daytime (systolic, 130+/-6 versus 144+/-4 mm Hg, P<.01; diastol ic, 84+/-4 versus 92+/-4 mm Hg, P<.01), and nighttime (systolic, 116+/ -7 versus 132+/-6 mm Hg, P<.01; diastolic, 72+/-6 versus 85+/-6 mm Hg, P<.01) ambulatory blood pressure monitoring values were significantly higher in subjects with an exaggerated blood pressure response to exe rcise. No significant differences were observed in left ventricular mo rphology. These findings indicate that subjects presenting high normal blood pressure and exaggerated systolic pressure during exercise show significantly high ambulatory blood pressure monitoring values that a re not associated with left ventricular hypertrophy.