Relationship of blood pressure responses to isometric exercise in non-hypertensive medical students with familial hypertension

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to find out whether there is a significant relationship between blood pressure responses due to handgrip (HG) exercise in non-hypertensive young adults, and family history of hypertension. Material & Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in Khyber Medical College on healthy students of first and second-year MBBS, after obtaining ethical approval from the institutional ethical committee. 140 (70 males and 70 females) out of 500 students were selected via using a random number generating website. After taking informed consent and his-tory, the students were made to perform the handgrip exercise for 5 minutes at 30 % of their maximum pressure. BP was recorded before during and after the procedure via an electronic BP measuring device. The data was then analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Results: There was a significant difference between groups A and B in terms of change in SBP (ΔSBP) both during (p=0.024) and after (p=0.033) handgrip exercise. The correlation between 30% of the maximum pressure applied and change in SBP (ΔSBP) and change in DBP (ΔDBP) during the application of pressure on handgrip device is significant (p<0.001) in the familial hypertension present group only. Conclusion: There was a significant change in systolic blood pressure in response to handgrip exercise in the group of subjects with familial hypertension positive. Decline was noted in SBP and DBP during and after the hand grip exercise. This change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure only during HG exercise was positively associated with hand exercise in subjects with history of familial hypertension. In subjects without history of familial hypertension only change in DBP after exercise was positively related HG exercise. Hence concluded that relation does exist between blood pressure responses to handgrip exercise and familial hypertension.