Report urges exercise to lower blood pressure

[Guest guest]

For those of us who have a hard time exercising, we still need to

find a way to d so! Our insides need it!

--- In @...:

Report urges exercise to lower blood pressure

By Stenson

NEW YORK, Apr 01 (Reuters Health) - Researchers who reviewed more than

50 studies on the effects of exercise on blood pressure have a message

for all couch-potatoes out there: Get moving.

Whether you are overweight or trim, have hypertension or normal blood

pressure, engaging in regular exercise such as walking, cycling,

jogging

or swimming can help lower your blood pressure and your subsequent

risk

of heart attack and stroke, according to the report in the April 2nd

issue of the ls of Internal Medicine.

The review of 54 clinical trials involving 2,419 previously sedentary

adults concluded that regular exercise decreased systolic blood

pressure--the upper number in a blood-pressure reading--by an average

of

3.8 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and diastolic blood pressure, the

bottom number, by an average of 2.6 mm Hg.

" Even a small reduction in the overall population's average blood

pressure level should dramatically reduce the morbidity and mortality

of

heart disease and stroke in the US general population, " study author

Dr.

Jiang He of Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, told Reuters

Health.

The new findings offer more evidence that exercise is important both

for

treating high blood pressure and preventing the condition from

developing in healthy people, he said.

In addition to the cardiovascular risks, high blood pressure also can

damage the kidneys, eyes and brain. Blood pressure is considered

elevated if the reading is 140/90 or higher.

Statistics show that about 25% of US adults have high blood pressure

and

up to 30% are sedentary. While the study did not identify an ideal

amount of exercise for lowering blood pressure, results showed that a

variety of types of aerobic exercise at all frequencies were

beneficial

to people who were previously sedentary. In other words, some activity

was better than none.

US health officials advise that people aim to get at least 30 minutes

of

moderate exercise on 5 or more days a week.

" Adults should consider lowering blood pressure one of the many

reasons

to exercise 30 minutes several times per week, " He said.

SOURCE: ls of Internal Medicine 2002;136:493-503.

--- End forwarded message ---

[Guest guest]

Report urges exercise to lower blood pressure

By Stenson

NEW YORK, Apr 01 (Reuters Health) - Researchers who reviewed more than

50 studies on the effects of exercise on blood pressure have a message

for all couch-potatoes out there: Get moving.

Whether you are overweight or trim, have hypertension or normal blood

pressure, engaging in regular exercise such as walking, cycling, jogging

or swimming can help lower your blood pressure and your subsequent risk

of heart attack and stroke, according to the report in the April 2nd

issue of the ls of Internal Medicine.

The review of 54 clinical trials involving 2,419 previously sedentary

adults concluded that regular exercise decreased systolic blood

pressure--the upper number in a blood-pressure reading--by an average of

3.8 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and diastolic blood pressure, the

bottom number, by an average of 2.6 mm Hg.

" Even a small reduction in the overall population's average blood

pressure level should dramatically reduce the morbidity and mortality of

heart disease and stroke in the US general population, " study author Dr.

Jiang He of Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, told Reuters

Health.

The new findings offer more evidence that exercise is important both for

treating high blood pressure and preventing the condition from

developing in healthy people, he said.

In addition to the cardiovascular risks, high blood pressure also can

damage the kidneys, eyes and brain. Blood pressure is considered

elevated if the reading is 140/90 or higher.

Statistics show that about 25% of US adults have high blood pressure and

up to 30% are sedentary. While the study did not identify an ideal

amount of exercise for lowering blood pressure, results showed that a

variety of types of aerobic exercise at all frequencies were beneficial

to people who were previously sedentary. In other words, some activity

was better than none.

US health officials advise that people aim to get at least 30 minutes of

moderate exercise on 5 or more days a week.

" Adults should consider lowering blood pressure one of the many reasons

to exercise 30 minutes several times per week, " He said.

SOURCE: ls of Internal Medicine 2002;136:493-503.