Here is a summary of hypertension from Exercise For Health: Risk Factors, Exercise & Guidelines

1. Hypertension
Exercise For Health.

2. Q: What is hypertension?

3. A: Hypertension is most typically
defined as an average systolic blood
pressure of >140mmHg, diastolic blood
pressure of >90mmHg, or use of
antihypertensive medication

4. Q: How does hypertension
relate to all-cause
mortality?

5. A: Lowering blood pressure in the general
population and in at risk groups, such as those with
coronary artery disease and chronic kidney disease,
is definitely associated with lower all-cause
mortality. However, whether lowering blood
pressure in the very old is also associated with lower
all-cause mortality is uncertain

6. Q: Are physical activity and
cardiovascular fitness risk
factors for hypertension?

7. A: It seems clear that low levels of
cardiovascular fitness and low levels of
physical activity are significant risk
factors for developing hypertension

8. Q: Is diet a risk factor for
hypertension?

9. A: Dietary factors seem less important than age,
relative weight and alcohol consumption in relation
to the risk of developing hypertension. It is difficult
to assess whether dietary calcium, magnesium,
potassium, sodium and fiber affect the risk of
developing hypertension in normotensive individuals

10. Q: What are the other risk
factors for hypertension?

11. A: Older age, a high body mass index
(indicating overweight or obesity), a
high waist circumference, sleep-related
breathing disorders and short sleep
duration are all associated with a
higher risk of hypertension

12. Q: What effect does
general exercise have on
blood pressure in healthy
people?

13. A: General exercise, including aerobic or endurance
training, is effective for reducing hypertension in
healthy individuals. In general exercise interventions
are associated with reductions in systolic and
diastolic blood pressures of around 3 – 5mmgHg,
although this includes trials as short as 4 weeks

14. Q: What effect does
general exercise have on
blood pressure in
hypertensive people?

15. A: Aerobic and general exercise including aerobic or
endurance training is effective for reducing
hypertension in mild-to-severely hypertensive
people of all ages. With longer exercise
interventions, reductions in blood pressure of
approximately 20 – 30/10 – 20mmHg can be
achieved

16. Q: What effect does
general exercise have on
blood pressure in other
diseased populations?

17. A: General exercise, including aerobic exercise or
endurance training, is effective for reducing
hypertension in various different non-healthy
populations, including overweight, metabolic
syndrome, type II diabetes and chronic kidney failure

18. Q: What effect does
resistance-training have
on blood pressure?

19. A: Resistance training is effective for reducing blood
pressure. Resistance training appears able to reduce
systolic and diastolic blood pressure by around 2%
and 4% or by around 3 – 6 and 3 – 5mmHg,
respectively across a range of different populations

20. For more information:
www.exercise-for-health.com/hypertension

21. Exercise For Health.