Physical Activity and Hypertension

Hypertension and physical inactivity are leading causes of premature mortality. While both are modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease, their prevalence remains high. As populations grow older, they are more likely to develop hypertension and to become less physically active. Scientific advances have contributed to understanding of how physical activity improves blood pressure and the clinically relevant ambulatory blood pressure, but this is not reflected in hypertension guidelines for clinical management of hypertension. The aim of this paper is to clearly present up to date knowledge from scientific studies that underpin the role of physical activity in hypertension management. Longitudinal studies in this review demonstrate a protective effect of higher physical activity levels as well as higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness. Interventional studies report improvements in blood pressure associated with aerobic, resistance and concurrent exercise; the improvements in some studies were greatest among participant groups with established hypertensions; the effect was observed for groups with treatment-resistant hypertension also, a clinically important subgroup. The most recent research provides evidence for the synergy between physical activity and pharmacotherapy for the treatment of hypertension, providing an opportunity for clinicians to promote physical activity as an adjunctive treatment for hypertension as well as a preventative strategy. This review critiques the evidence and summarises the most up to date literature in the field of physical activity and hypertension.