Validity of predicting mean arterial blood pressure during exercise

Purpose: Mean arterial blood pressure (mean arterial pressure (MAP)) at res t is conventionally estimated as the product of the diastolic pressure plus one-third of the pulse pressure. Since pulse wave forms and the duration o f diastole change during exercise, one might question the validity of this prediction equation for the exercise state. Our purpose was to test this by directly measuring blood pressure over a wide range of exercise intensitie s. Methods: Pressure was recorded by arterial catheterization in 29 subject s performing progressive exercise and/or constant-load exercise at differen t intensities. Actual MAP was measured by integrating the area under the pu lse curve and compared it with the value which was predicted from systolic and diastolic measures over heart rates ranging from 100 to 200 beats.min(- 1). Results: Predicted values were quite close to actual MAP, and the accur acy of the prediction equation changed minimally with increased exercise in tensity. Conclusion: This method provides a valid estimation of MAP during exercise.