EXAGGERATED BLOOD-PRESSURE RESPONSE TO DYNAMIC EXERCISE AND RISK OF FUTURE HYPERTENSION

This study examined the association between an exaggerated blood press ure response to treadmill exercise and the risk of developing hyperten sion. Subjects were healthy normotensive men (n = 5386) who had a base line graded maximal exercise test between 1971 and 1982, and completed a mailed follow-up questionnaire. At follow-up in 1986, cases (n = 15 1) reported physician diagnosed hypertension and controls (n = 201) re ported normotension. Those who had developed hypertension at follow-up were more likely to have had an exaggerated brood pressure response t o exercise (OR = 2.4, 1.4-4.3) In multiple logistic regression analysi s an exaggerated response was significantly associated (OR = 3.0, 1.5- 6.1) with future hypertension after controlling for sitting systolic a nd diastolic blood pressure, weight change from age 21 to follow-up, e ntry age, family history of hypertension, body mass index, treadmill t ime, alcohol consumption, and years of follow-up. These results sugges t that an exaggerated blood pressure response to exercise is independe ntly associated with increased risk of future hypertension, and theref ore, may be an important factor in determining hypertension risk. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.