Hypertension and Ventilatory Responses During Exercise in the Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise...

A high minute ventilation/rate of carbon dioxide production (V̇_E/V̇co₂) slope during exercise is prognostic for cardiovascular death. Recent data indicate that adults with either controlled or untreated primary hypertension, but not those with uncontrolled hypertension, exhibit a higher V̇_E/V̇co₂ slope during exercise. However, the sample sizes were modest. Therefore, we used the Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise National Database to determine whether adults with hypertension, particularly those with controlled or untreated hypertension, exhibit higher V̇_E/V̇co₂ slopes compared with adults without hypertension.

Using the Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise National Database, we isolated primary hypertension by excluding those with any disease other than hypertension or taking any medications other than antihypertension medications. We also excluded current smokers and those with obesity. The V̇_E/V̇co₂ slope was determined during a peak cycling exercise test. All data are presented as median [interquartile range]. We compared groups using linear regression adjusted for age, male/female, and body mass index. The characteristics of the entire sample (n=4109) were age, 42 [18] years; 48% women; body mass index, 26 [4] kg/m². The V̇_E/V̇co₂ slope did not differ between adults with hypertension (n=1940; 24.7 [3.7]) compared with those without hypertension (n=2169; 24.9 [3.8]) (hypertension versus no hypertension, P=0.31; overall model: R²=0.07, F_4,4104=73.0; P<0.001). Further, the V̇_E/V̇co₂ slope did not differ between adults with medication-controlled hypertension (n=107; 24.4 [3.0]), untreated hypertension (n=1626; 24.8 [3.9]), uncontrolled hypertension (n=207; 24.8 [3.0]), or those without hypertension (n=2169; 24.9 [3.8]) (hypertension subgroup versus no hypertension, P≥0.06; overall model: R²=0.07, F_6,4102=49.6, P<0.001).

Primary hypertension is not associated with V̇_E/V̇co₂ slope in the Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise National Database.