Repeatability of blood pressure measurements during treadmill exercise

Blood pressure measurements during exercise are difficult to obtain but are used widely in clinical practice. The objective of this study was to investigate the repeatability of blood pressure measurements and gas exchange parameters during treadmill exercise.

Participants were 10 healthy and nonsmoking men (age: 26.1 ± 3.6 years). Each participant performed two identical treadmill tests until exhaustion. The blood pressure was measured in the right arm before, at 4-min intervals during and just after the exercise test. Oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production and ventilation were measured continuously breath-by-breath. Blood lactic acid concentration was measured repeatedly.

We found that blood pressure measurements during treadmill exercise are difficult to obtain. Systolic blood pressure increases with the exercise time. Diastolic blood pressure remains constant throughout the incrementing exercise test. Systolic blood pressure measurements are more repeatable than those of diastolic blood pressure measurements. We found that maximal oxygen consumption, obtained by an incrementing treadmill test, is highly repeatable and more repeatable than submaximal exercise parameters.

Blood pressure monitoring during exercise testing may provide important clinical information that could aid in identifying patients at risk of developing chronic hypertension.