[The preventive effect of training with an emphasis on endurance of the cardiovascular system in adolescents]

An estimated 15% of adolescents in the G.D.R. suffer from hypertensive blood pressure regulations. Physical exercise with its numerous phenomena of central and peripheral adaptation will result in a general blood pressure drop. Because the blood pressure at rest may be highly variable, ergometric step tests are of special importance for the diagnosis of hypertension. Ranges of reference values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure have been established for untrained female and male subjects aged 14 to 18 years. The effect of endurance training on the normo- and hypertensive blood pressure situation is demonstrated on the basis of a 2-year longitudinal study. Besides a general blood pressure drop an improvement of the cardiocirculatory performance capacity has been found. To prevent hypertension, early recognition and long-term, preventive measures in childhood and adolescents will be necessary. From the findings of the present study practical conclusions are derived.