[Normal blood pressure profiles during exercise according to age, sex and protocols]

Systolic and diastolic blood pressure profiles of 2,808 healthy subjects are reported according to age, sex and exercise protocols. The rates of increase of systolic pressures are expressed with respect to the heart rate and decrease with age. For a given sub-maximal effort the systolic blood pressure is lower in males and in the younger age groups: the diastolic blood pressure only increases significantly on exercise after 50 years of age. These variations according to age and sex were confirmed on treadmill exercise but the peak pressure values were lower. These quantitative results differ from those of previously reported studies and suggest that the diagnostic criteria of hypertension of effort should be redefined.