Physical Activity & Hypertension

It's not clear what causes hypertension--also referred to as high blood pressure--in most people, but it greatly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Although it can be treated with medications and, to some extent, by diet, one of the most effective ways to prevent and lower blood pressure is through daily exercise that elevates your heart rate. However, people who develop extremely high blood pressure while exercising should consult a physician because this could be an indication of early heart disease.

Definition of Hypertension

• Hypertension is defined as a "chronically elevated blood pressure greater than 140/90 millimeters," according to an article on exercise and hypertension on the American College of Exercise website. It can be an indication of narrowing arteries or a weak heart. People who have untreated hypertension are five to seven more times more likely to develop coronary artery disease or suffer strokes than those with normal blood pressure, the ACE warns.

Types and Amount of Recommended Exercise

• The best types of physical activity are those that elevate your breathing and heart rates for prolonged, uninterrupted periods or a series of short bursts of activity. These types of exercise strengthen the heart, and a strong heart pumps blood more easily, which puts less pressure on the arteries, the Mayo Clinic explains. Examples of the first approach would be jogging, bicycling or swimming. The short bursts approach could involve short, intense springs, jumping rope, jumping jacks or squat thrusts or a combination thereof (circuit training). Regardless of which approach you adopt, you should try to do 30 to 60 minutes of exercise three to six times a week, the ACE advises.

  Other forms of activity, such as raking leaves, walking, climbing steps and vigorous household chores, are also forms of exercise, the Mayo Clinic adds.

Effects

• Regular aerobic exercise has been found to lower blood pressure in older men and women, but it can also reduce young adults' risk of developing hypertension, according to an article in the April 2007 issue of the American Journal of Public Health. A 15-year study involving almost 4,000 young adults revealed that working out five times a week and burning 300 calories per session reduced their risk of developing hypertension by 17 percent. They reduced their risk by an additional 11 percent for every 1,500 calories they burned per week. Exercise also helps with weight loss, which is significant because overweight people are at increased risk of developing hypertension, the Mayo Clinic points out.

Monitoring Results

• The only way to monitor results is by getting regular blood pressure checks. You can make regular visits to a doctor or get a blood pressure cuff to use at home. You should check your pressure an hour before exercising, the Mayo Clinic says. Normal blood pressure in healthy people is 120 over 80. (The first figure indicates the amount of pressure placed on artery walls when the heart contracts. The second figure is the amount of pressure against the walls between heartbeats, the ACE says.)

Precautions

• People with hypertension or aren't used to working out should start with low- to moderate-intensity exercising to avoid injury and allow your heart and lungs get used to the increased exertion. Exercise often temporarily raises blood pressure, but in some it can spike dangerously to levels of 200 to 250 millimeters of mercury, according to a May 17, 2005, article on the Patient Health International website. This could be a sign of artery disease and may require medical attention.

  If you feel dizzy, prolonged shortness of breath, feel chest pain or tightness while exercising, you should consult a doctor. You should also do so if you develop unexplained pain in an arm or your jaw or an irregular heartbeat or excessive fatigue, the Mayo Clinic says.