PHYSIOLOGICAL-CHARACTERISTICS AND HORMONAL PROFILE OF YOUNG NORMOTENSIVE MEN WITH EXAGGERATED BLOOD-PRESSURE RESPONSE TO EXERCISE

Exaggerated blood pressure (BP) response to exercise in normotensive s ubjects is considered as a predictor of future hypertension. The aim o f the study was to find out whether elevated BP response to exercise i s associated with any other haemodynamic, metabolic or hormonal abnorm alities. Abnormal BP response to exercise, i.e. systolic BP (SBP)>200 mmHg at 150 W or lower workload, was found in 37 out of 180 normotensi ve, male students, aged 20-24 years. Fifteen students with elevated ex ercise BP (group E) volunteered for further examinations. Their restin g and ambulatory BP showed high normal values. Eight of them had a fam ily history of hypertension. Four subjects met the criteria of cardiac hypertrophy. Significant correlations were found between exercise SBP and left ventricular mass index, average 24 h and daytime SBP recordi ngs. In comparison with normal subjects of the same age (group N, n=13 ), those from group E did not differ in body mass index, plasma lipid profile, fasting glucose, insulin and catecholamine (CA) concentration s, but had increased erythrocyte sodium content, slightly elevated pla sma renin activity and cortisol level. During exercise, E subjects sho wed greater cardiac output (CO) increases with normal heart rate, tota l peripheral resistance (TPR) and plasma CA. There were no significant differences between groups in haemodynamic and plasma CA responses to posture change from supine to standing. Glucose ingestion (75 g) caus ed smaller increases in CO and smaller decreases in TPR in E than in N subjects without differences in BP, blood glucose, plasma insulin and CA. It is concluded that young normotensive men with exaggerated BP r esponse to exercise show some other characteristics that may be consid ered as markers of predisposition to hypertension or factors promoting the development of hypertension.