Relation of maximum blood pressure during exercise and regular physical activity in normotensive men with left ventricular mass and hypertrophy

The relation between maximum systolic blood pressure (BP) during exercise a nd left ventricular (LV) mass is controversial, Physical activity also indu ces LV mass increase. The objective was to assess the relation between BP r esponse to exercise and LV mass in normotensive men, taking into account ph ysical activity practice, A cross-sectional study was performed, Three hund red eighteen healthy normotensive men, aged between 20 and 60 years, partic ipated in this study, The Minnesota questionnaire was used to assess physic al activity practice. An echocardiogram and a maximum exercise test were pe rformed. LV mass was calculated and indexed to body surface area, LV hypert rophy was defined as a ventricular mass index greater than or equal to 134 g/m(2), BP was measured at the moment of maximum effort, Hypertensive respo nse was considered when BP was greater than or equal to 210 mm Hg, in the m ultiple linear regression model, maximum systolic BP was associated with LV mass index and correlation coefficient was 0.27 (SE 0.07). Physical activi ty practice and age were also associated with LV mass, An association betwe en hypertensive response to exercise and LV hypertrophy was observed [odds ratio 3.16), Thus, BP response to exercise is associated with LV mass and m en with systolic BP response greater than or equal to 210 mm Hg present a 3 -times higher risk of LV hypertrophy than those not reaching this limit, Ph ysical activity practice is related to LV mass, but not to LV hypertrophy, (C) 1999 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.