Study: Exercise helps blood pressure
Submitted by Brent Hugh on Mon, 07/05/2004 - 3:58am
In a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, endurance exercise was found to be as effective as a drug (diuretic) in mild cases of hypertension in older men and women:
The findings of this study suggest that a program of mild-to-moderate intensity exercise training can result in partial regression of increased LV [left ventricle] relative wall thickness and LVH [Left ventricular hypertrophy, or "enlarged heart"] that is similar to the effect induced by a thiazide diuretic.Left ventricle relative wall thickness and LVH, or enlarged heart, are measured because they are good predictors of cardiac risk. That these factors improve with endurance exercise is a good sign of exercise's effectiveness in improving cardiovascular health.
Although hydrochlorothiazide is considerably more effective in reducing systolic blood pressure than exercise, metabolic adaptations that occur only with exercise training can provide significant additional clinical benefits that are not attainable with a thiazide diuretic.
Therefore, endurance exercise training appears to be a suitable treatment strategy in some older adults with mild hypertension because despite a smaller decrease in blood pressure, it can induce a comparable regression of cardiac mass with improvements in insulin resistance and aerobic capacity and because aggressive reduction of blood pressure by antihypertensive medications may not necessarily confer a greater protection against the risk of death in hypertensive elderly patients.
Tags:
- Cycling Tips and Stories
- 2004
- 3 feet
- bicycle
- blood pressure
- death
- elderly
- exercise
- health
- missouri
- missouri bicycle federation
- pedestrian
- school
- story
- study
- training
- Washington
- Antihypertensive drug
- Athletic heart syndrome
- Blood pressure
- Cardiomegaly
- Diuretic
- Health
- Hypertension
- Left ventricular hypertrophy
- Medicine
- Physical exercise
- Thiazide
- Ventricular hypertrophy
« Previous story: Study: Exercise helps blood pressure
» Next story: Governor Holden's Fitness Challenge
Join MoBikeFed's Advocacy Network
MoBikeFed is a statewide group of people like you, working together for better bicycling, walking, and trails in Missouri. When you join our advocacy network you receive occasional important advocacy alerts and bicycle, pedestrian, and trails news from around Missouri.
Working together we make a real difference! Join our advocacy network:
Working together we make a real difference! Join our advocacy network:
Related pages
Current topics...
Archives...
Want better bicycling and walking in Missouri?
We rely on the support of members like you. Please join, renew, or donate today.
- Home
- JOIN/DONATE
- News/Info
- Missouri Bicycling, Running, Trails
- Bicycle Education Classes
- Bicycle Skills and Safety
- Missouri Bike/Ped Law
- Clubs and Organizations
- Bike Shops
- Running Shops
- Bicycling, Running, Trails-related Businesses
- Ride, Run, Walk, Hike, Triathlon, and Events Calendars
- Bicycles on Amtrak
- Maps and Routes
- Trails and Trail Maps
- IBikeMO.org
- Planning a Missouri bicycle trip
- Gravel and Bikepacking Maps & Routes
- Bicycle & Touring Routes
- Advocacy
- Campaigns
- Our Legislative Platform
- 2016 Legislative Session
- Complete Streets
- Statewide Rock Island Trail
- Statewide Trail Vision - Quad State Trail
- Bicycle Friendly Missouri
- Walk Friendly Missouri
- Safe Routes to School
- MoDOT funding crisis
- High Priority Bike/Ped Project List
- Anti-harassment laws in cities & statewide
- Updating the basic bicycle law
- Our Vision for MoDOT
- Our Vision for MPOs/RPCs
- Our Vision for Cities & Counties
- Bicycle, pedestrian, trails plans across MO
- Protecting Vulnerable Road Users
- Vision Zero
- Missouri Trail Towns
- Store
- About