Recommendations for Clinical Assessment, Sports Participation, and Management in Hypertensive Athletes

Athleticism is often associated with optimal health; however, some athletes have high blood pressure (BP) despite being physically active. Using proper guidelines to determine a BP diagnosis is essential when working with both children and adults who are physically active because basal BP levels rise during physical activity. Once a physician has determined an athlete is hypertensive, a full clinical assessment may be required to identify possible etiologies for the condition and furthermore to establish appropriate BP management. Special recommendations for sport participation can follow. Sport participation is dependent on, but is not limited to, coexisting cardiovascular risk factors and associated clinical conditions, BP condition, and evidence of end-organ damage. This article reviews the available research literature on the diagnosis of hypertension, recommendations for clinical assessments, and special considerations of BP management and sport participation to ensure the safety of hypertensive patients/athletes.