The Effect of the Harvard Step Test Exercise on Blood Pressure in Christian University Faculty of Medical Students Indonesia Batch 2021

Introduction: Physical activity, defined as any physiological movement produced by skeletal muscles, results in increased energy expenditure and decreased resting blood pressure; this, in turn, helps prevent and treat hypertension. The Harvard Step Test, a heart test developed at Harvard, can help assess a student's labor capacity, cardiovascular health, and the correlation between fitness and blood pressure. Methodology: This study aimed to measure changes in blood pressure in medical students in the class of 2021 at Indonesian Christian University after carrying out the Harvard Step Test. Researchers used a cross-sectional, qualitative, experimental design. The primary data for this research was collected by observing the class of 2021 students at the Faculty of Medicine, Indonesian Christian University. Results: A bivariate analysis found an association between the Harvard Step Test and hypertension, with a p-value of 0.000 (0.05). Given the strong correlation between physical activity and hypertension, it is important to follow healthy habits such as regular exercise, reducing smoking and drinking, and eating right to keep hypertension under control. Conclusion: Based on the description of the research results and discussion regarding the effect of the Harvard Step Test exercise on blood pressure in students at the Faculty of Medicine, Indonesian Christian University, class of 2021, according to the results of the analysis of the relationship between the Harvard Step Test variable and the variable Increase in blood pressure and pulse rate, it can be concluded that there is a relationship between the effect of the Harvard Step Test on increasing blood pressure and pulse rate. Keywords: Harvard Step Test, Physical Activity, Hypertension, Lifestyle.