Abnormal response of blood pressure to Master's two-step exercise in patients with essential hypertension

To clarify the differences in response of blood pressure (BP) in the normotensives and the hypertensives (n = 30, 40 +/- 9 years, 142 +/- 17/91 +/- 14 mmHg, mean +/- SD), the subjects were divided into normotensives (N) (n = 13, 34 +/- 5 years, 114 +/- 6/72 +/- 8 mmHg), prehypertensives (n = 8, 38 +/- 11 years, 125 +/- 6/80 +/- 3 mmHg), borderlines (n = 13, 38 +/- 10 years, 140 +/- 12/85 +/- 9 mmHg), and established hypertensives (n = 9, 43 +/- 6 years, 161 +/- 9/108 +/- 8 mmHg). BP and heart rate were measured in the supine position after a 30-min bed rest and the recovery phase following the double Master's two-step exercise. The rise in systolic BP was significantly greater in the prehypertensives and in the borderlines than in N, but was insignificantly smaller in the established. The rise in diastolic BP was significantly greater in all the groups of the hypertensives than in N. This rise was significantly greater in the borderlines than in the established. A multiple regression correlated significantly between the rise in BP and the resting BP (r = 0.467 in systolic, and r = 0.373 in diastolic). Diastolic BP following exercise increased in the hypertensives, but fell in N. The rise in heart rate was not significantly different between the hypertensives and N. The hyperresponse observed in both prehypertensives and the borderlines was diminished in the established hypertensives. These results suggest that the hyperresponse of BP may play an important role in the development of hypertension in the patients with essential hypertension.