Post Exercise Hypotention in hypertensive individual
I am a 63 year old man that has trouble controlling my hypertension for years. I notice that after 30 minutes of exercise on my elliptical machine that my blood pressure can drop significantly: example before exercise = 150/95 and 30 min after exersize = 100/60. I mentioned this to my cardiologist and he said that blood pressure goes up not down, but gave no further comment. Can anyone help explain what causes this and should I be concerned? 50 point drop in systolic pressure seems extreme.
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My BP also goes down with exercise but not that drastically. I suggest you keep a BP log to take to your cardiologist, who obviously doesn't listen very well! Note how long you exercise and what your BP is before and afterwords. Do it long enough to get good data. Your doctor will have to see the tie in if there is one. I would be concerned with a 50 pt drop too! Good luck to you!
You need to clearly ask your cardiologist if this is something to be concerned about. I can't give you medical advice. However,a significant decrease in blood pressure is perfectly normal in many people - and can be more dramatic in people with hypertension. In fact, what's NOT normal is for blood pressure to not go down (as it doesn't in about 20 percent of hypertensive patients). Your drop in blood pressure is not down to a dangerous level at all. Again, take what I'm telling you, if you wish, and ask your doctor specifically if this is correct or not for you (I am basing what I'm writing on published research, by the way, but never take what your ead on line - talk to your doctor as you seem so worried). First of all , make sure you take your blood pressure pre- exercise while sitting and breathing comfortably for a while. Make sure you are not dehydrated prior to exercising. Understand that blood pressure dropping somewhat after exercise is 100 percent NORMAL whether people have hypertension or not. It will sometimes remain lower for hours. Keep a record of your blood pressure immediately after exercise in take it again a 15 minutes, half an hour. Share this with your doctor. Lower blood pressure after exercise is one reason that consistent exercise is one of the best ways to lower elevated blood pressure and why, along with weight loss as needed, it can help people get off medication as your body adjusts to exercise. Why does it drop? There is vasodilation when you exercise and also exercise also typically reduces levels of catecholamines - hormones made by your adrenal glands that can boost blood pressure (that's why stress boosts hypertension and one reason exercise can lower it; it's also one reason doctors will suggest exercise to boost mood and relieve anxiety by calming excess "stress hormones" and their symptoms). There is a complicated process through many factors influence baroreceptors which adjust the body's blood pressure according to what you are doing - the changes are mediated by the autonomic nervous system. Exercise can help normalize that system.. For example, if a person is on bedrest for months, their body typically will not automatically adjust to standing up - blood pressure my drop and they may feel faint and have to slowly get back in shape and the body adjusts.. this may not be a good example but consider that the more your exercise the more your muscles and heart function may improve and normalize - and that goes for blood pressure. Again, talk to your doctor and keep up the good work exercising!.
Thanks!
Thanks you very much. I have found very little information about this. My blood pressure is very inconsistent from day to day and I am concerned for the long term effects that this has had on my body. If my average blood pressure reading was 130/85, but I have extreme fluctuations during the day or week then how is this stressing my body?
I would suggest that you write down these questions and do not hesitate to talk to your cardiologist. I cannot give you medical advice but i can assure you that EVERYBODY'S blood pressure changes during the day and rarely has the same readings from day to day. It fluctuates depending on how active you are, how stressed are, if you ate or didn't, what you ate, whether you drank caffeine, if you took a medicine that might have raised of lowered your BP temporarily and more. Your average blood pressure reading is excellent - only slightly high. I assume you have had tests that show your heart is a normal size, EKG normal, etc. Honestly, I can't diagnose you but I PROMISE you - and ask your doctor for verification - that everybody on the planet normally has blood pressure fluctuations. Check out this article from Harvard - scroll down to the graph of blood pressure fluctuations during the day. It might make you feel better. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/experts-call-for-home-blood-pressure-monitoring
rom the National Institutes of Health (NIH): "It’s normal for your blood pressure to go up and down throughout each day. Blood pressure is affected by time of day, exercise, the foods you eat, stress, and other factors. Problems can arise, though, if your blood pressure stays too high for too long...'Hypertension is defined as having an average blood pressure of above 140/90,' says NIH’s Dr. Lawrence Fine, who oversees research on the treatment and prevention of hypertension. Since blood pressure can vary widely from day to day, a diagnosis of hypertension is usually based on an average of 2 or more readings taken on 2 or more occasions." I think your average blood pressure is doing pretty good. And I hope you will make a list of questions and talk to your doctor - make sure you understand and don't be hesitant to ask about everything bothering you. You need reassurance and for your doctor to take the time to explain about blood pressure fluctuations.