Key result
Essential hypertension did not disturb exercise performance (oxygen uptake at anaerobic threshold and peak exercise) compared to controls, nor did blood pressure response correlate with performance.
Why the study?
Does essential hypertension alter exercise performance, and how does it relate to blood pressure response and left ventricular hypertrophy?
Cross-Sectional (n=35)
Does essential hypertension alter exercise performance, and how does it relate to blood pressure response and left ventricular hypertrophy?
Exercise performance is preserved in mild to moderate essential hypertension, and concentric left ventricular hypertrophy may act as a compensatory mechanism to maintain exercise capacity against exaggerated blood pressure elevation.
Supports preserved exercise capacity in mild-moderate hypertension; leaves open compensatory LVH mechanisms for prospective validation.
Exercise performance in essential hypertension (EH) and its relations to blood pressure (BP) response and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) were studied. Twenty-three patients with mild to moderate EH and 12 controls underwent symptom-limited (except BP elevation more than 250 mm Hg) ergometer exercise. Exercise performance was evaluated by the oxygen uptake (VO2/kg) at anaerobic threshold (AT) and at peak exercise (Peak). Left ventricular geometry and function, and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were measured using echocardiography. The endpoints of 12 patients (group A) and controls were fatigue. The endpoints of 11 patients (group B) were BP elevation. Though both group A and group B had concentric hypertrophy, group B showed severe LVH compared to group A and controls. The VO2/kg at AT or at Peak was not different among the three groups. Neither BP response or LVMI correlated with exercise performance in EH. We conclude that exercise performance is not disturbed in EH; that BP response to exercise is not related to exercise performance in EH; and that concentric LVH may be a compensatory mechanism to maintain exercise capacity against exaggerated BP elevation in EH.
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Shimizu et al. (1992) conducted a cross-sectional in Essential hypertension (n=35). Essential hypertension vs. Controls was evaluated on Exercise performance evaluated by oxygen uptake (VO2/kg) at anaerobic threshold and at peak exercise. Essential hypertension did not disturb exercise performance (oxygen uptake at anaerobic threshold and peak exercise) compared to controls, nor did blood pressure response correlate with performance.
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