Exercise blood pressure response and 5-year risk of elevated blood pressure in a cohort of young adults: The cardia study

Abstract

Systolic blood pressure response to exercise has been shown to predict development of hypertension in men, but this association has not been examined in population-based samples of men, or in women or non-whites. This relationship was explored in 3741 normotensive black and white young adults undergoing treadmill testing in the CARDIA study and examined 5 years later for development of hypertension. Exaggerated response to exercise (systolic pressure ≥210 mm Hg in men and ≥190 mm Hg in women) was detected in 687 subjects (18%) at baseline, and incident hypertension (blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mm Hg or on medication) was detected in 184 subjects (4.9%) at followup. Persons with exaggerated response to exercise at baseline had 5 mm Hg higher systolic and 1 mm Hg higher diastolic pressures at follow-up (P