What types of hypertensives respond better to mild exercise therapy?

Twenty-one patients with essential hypertension were treated with aerobic (lactate threshold) exercise (n = 21) and the change in blood pressure was compared with that in a non-exercising hypertensive control group (n = 10). After 10 weeks of exercise therapy blood pressure in the exercise group was significantly reduced, from 154 +/- 3/100 +/- 2 to 141 +/- 3/93 +/- 3 mmHg, and there was a significant reduction in plasma volume, cardiac index and plasma noradrenaline whereas there were no changes in the non-exercise group. Responders (10 mmHg or more fall in mean blood pressure) in the exercise group had a significantly higher cardiac index, serum Na:K ratio and lower total peripheral resistance in pretraining studies than non-responders. In conclusion, exercise at lactate threshold is effective in lowering blood pressure in those mild hypertensives with higher cardiac index and serum Na:K ratio.