BLOOD-PRESSURE AND HEART-RATE RESPONSE DURING EXERCISE IN MEN AND WOMEN IN THE USA AND RUSSIA LIPID RESEARCH CLINICS PREVALENCE STUDY

Examination of blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) measurements at rest and during exercise in samples of USA and Russian middle-aged me n and women show significant differences between countries for both ge nders. Russian men had higher resting systolic blood pressure (SBP) th an USA men but lower SBP at both stages of exercise. Russian women had significantly higher resting SBP than USA women at rest and also duri ng exercise. Russian men and women had significantly lower HR at rest and during exercise than USA men and women. Differences between countr ies were also noted for mean body weight, height, lipid levels, percen tages of smokers and several other variables, and it was postulated th at differences in these factors might be responsible in part for diffe rences in SBP and HR during exercise. After adjustment for these varia bles, differences in SBP during exercise between USA and Russian men r emained, but differences between USA and Russian women disappeared. Fo r both genders, differences in HR during exercise remained after adjus tment. Mortality analyses in USA and Russian men indicated that stage 2 SBP response during exercise was generally not a significant mortali ty risk factor after adjustment for age, BMI, TC, smoking and resting SBP. In a similar model, stage 2 HR response during exercise was also a non-significant risk factor in mortality.