Posted by Howard H. Wayne, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.C.P

In Reply to: Hypertension - kinds of exercise, possible dangers posted by dr@cardiotips.com

Some clarification is in order here. Patients who exhibit precipitous
increases in blood pressure during isometric exercise often have early
hypertension. In the the same way that a diabetic can have a normal
blood sugar, an alcoholic can be sober, and an epileptic doesn't have to
be convulsing to be an epileptic, so can patients with hypertension have
a normal resting blood pressure. In fact the definition of hypertension
should not simply mean the blood pressure is elevated. Hypertension is
more properly thought of as uncontrollable blood pressure. In fact,
patients who exhibit an abnormal blood pressure response during a stress
test, when followed over a period of years, most, but not all will
develop hypertension. Of course, the mere elevation of the blood
pressure during isometric exercise does not tell us what percentage of
the time such elevation occurs. This, however, can be found out very
simply. A phonocardiogram (no, it is not obsolete) will show a fourth
heart sound, often an ejection click, and an increased amplitude of the
second sound at the apex. An echocardiogram will usually show an
enlarged left atrium and hyperdynamic wall motion. So the meaning of a
stress induced elevation of the blood pressure depends upon the company
it keeps. For more about hypertension see my Web site at:
http://www.heartprotect.com

Howard H. Wayne, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.C.P

Follow Ups:

Post a Followup