Exercise Hypertension?

[ejalrp]

This past week I had a stress test done. Although according to the test I'm in the 95th percentile of fitness (100 being best) for my age, the test was stopped early not because of any symptoms or heart rhythm irregularities but because my blood pressure shot up to 220 (systolic) and that's when they stop it. Systolic reading at start of test was 130. FWIW, I regularly exercise on a treadmill and didn't find the test physically very difficult at all when they stopped it.

I do have somewhat elevated blood pressure and take Losartan (50mg 1/day before bed) but this HRE (hypertension related to exercise) apparently is not common and most people with high blood pressure do not also have HRE.

There are theories that the arteries (for unknown reasons) are not relaxing as they should as more blood is pumped through them.

Anyone have any ideas of why this happens and what might help reduce it?

 

[Hans]

What's your diet like? Have you tested NO or CO2? Could be elevated catecholamines that's causing excess vasoconstriction or preventing proper vasodilation.

 

[ejalrp]

You may be right, but that wouldn't explain why my systolic BP was 130 at the start in the sense that if I had elevated catecholamines generally my starting BP should have been higher, true?

BTW, related, yesterday I took a couple of teaspoons of beet root extract (natural nitrites) and my BP did seem to drop by 10 points within an hour. It could be placebo or self-suggestion but I intend to try it again and see if the same thing happens.

 

[Hans]

You may be right, but that wouldn't explain why my systolic BP was 130 at the start in the sense that if I had elevated catecholamines generally my starting BP should have been higher, true?

BTW, related, yesterday I took a couple of teaspoons of beet root extract (natural nitrites) and my BP did seem to drop by 10 points within an hour. It could be placebo or self-suggestion but I intend to try it again and see if the same thing happens.

It could be that you overreact to exercise. Do you have enough carbs beforehand?

 

[ejalrp]

It could be that you overreact to exercise. Do you have enough carbs beforehand?

I hadn't eaten anything for a few hours before the test so you may be on to something but I felt fine before and during the test (no shakiness or low blood sugar symptoms). Unfortunately, it's not very easy to check your blood pressure while exercising at home if I want to repeat as an experiment. During the stress test a technician manually checks your blood pressure while you're walking with a stethoscope. Auto-fill cuffs aren't as accurate especially when there's movement.