BLOOD-PRESSURE REACTION DURING EXERCISE

There are three types of abnormal blood pressure responses during exer cise: hypotensive reaction, inadequate rise in blood pressure, and hyp ertensive reaction. At rest, an abnormal high blood pressure has an ad verse prognostic implication. This is not true for a low blood pressur e at rest. During exercise, however, the contrary is observed: an inad equate rise or even a fall in blood pressure below resting values indi cates a significantly increased risk for cardiac events, whereas a hyp ertensive reaction in patients with a normal resting blood pressure ha s no adverse prognostic implications.