‘Walk This Way’ to Reduce Blood Pressure

(dailyRx) — Walking is a great low-impact exercise that can lead to better health. A new study shows that a walking test can predict if a patient’s pulmonary hypertension will worsen.

A recent study identified the six-minute walking distance (6MWD) test as a way to predict if idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension will worsen. The 6MWD test can also predict how long it will take for pulmonary hypertension to worsen. This easy and affordable test can be used by doctors to better treat and monitor patients.

Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension is high blood pressure in the lungs. Some problems involved with pulmonary hypertension include shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain and fatigue.

The 6MWD test is a simple test that measures the distance a patient walks in a six-minute. In the study published by the American Thoracic Society, how fast the heart recovers after a minute of rest can indicate if a patient’s pulmonary hypertension will worsen.

Trying to predict if a patient’s pulmonary hypertension will worsen required a lot of complicated tests according to Omar A. Minai, M.D., staff physician in the Department of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. The 6MWD is easy to set up, easy to measure and free.

The study involved 75 patients with pulmonary hypertension taking the 6MWD test and having their heart rate measured after the test was completed. After a minute of rest, their heart rate was measure again. Patients with a heart rate recovery of less than 16 beats were more likely to have their pulmonary hypertension worsen.

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