Blood pressure responses to acute exercise in type A females

Cardiovascular responses to moderate steady state exercise were studied in type A females. Twenty-one women, ages 18 to 43 years (mean 29.7 +/- 2.0), were divided into type A (n = 11) and type B (n = 10) groups by means of the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS). Baseline measurement included EMG, BP, and psychometric data. Subjects exercised on a treadmill at 60% VO2 peak for 20 min. Postexercise systolic and diastolic BP (SBP, DBP) reductions were similar in the type A and type B groups [111/72 to 104/66 and 108/70 to 98/62 mmHg, respectively, (F(1, 38) = 4.03, p < 0.05]. However, DBP responses during exercise for type B, but not the type A, were lower [71 +/- 2 to 60 +/- 2 mmHg, preexercise to steady state exercise, (F(1, 38) = 7.14, p < 0.01]. Also, steady state exercise SBP was lower in type B compared to type A [159 +/- 3 vs. 150 +/- 4 mmHg, (F(1, 38) = 3.97, p < 0.05]. These data with psychometric data, suggest that hemodynamic and other physiological responses to exercise in females vary according to behavioral types associated with differing physiology.