Police officers with higher aerobic fitness exhibit less pressor hyperresponsiveness to mental stress

Higher aerobic fitness has been associated with lower cardiovascular reactivity to stress. However, this relationship remains underexplored in professionals exposed to high levels of stressors. This study evaluated whether police with higher aerobic fitness exhibited lower blood pressure (BP) reactivity to mental stress. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 41 police officers divided into lower (n = 21) and higher aerobic fitness groups (n = 20), based on median peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak). Police officers were subjected to the Stroop Color and Word Test, with BP and heart rate (HR) measured at rest and during the stress condition. Cardiovascular reactivity was determined by the peak delta (Δ) of systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and HR. Police officers were classified as hyperresponders based on the 75th percentile of these deltas. Police with higher aerobic fitness did not show lower SBP (↑VO2peak: 19±8mmHg vs. ↓VO2peak: 19±11, p=0.836), DBP (13±5vs. 15±6 mmHg, p=0.276), or HR (12±8vs. 8±7 bpm, p=0.102) reactivity. However, they exhibited less hyperresponsiveness for SBP (2 [18.2%] vs 9 [81.8%], p=0.018) and DBP (2 [20%] vs 8 [80%], p=0.036), with no difference for HR (7 [70%] vs 3 [30%], p=0.123). In summary, police officers with higher aerobic fitness did not exhibit lower average pressor reactivity to mental stress, but they showed less hyperresponsiveness.