(MSN Health) — Q. Is it safe to exercise if I have high blood pressure?
A. Yes! In fact, along with eating more plants and lowering sodium intake, getting regular exercise is an important lifestyle modification you should adopt if you have hypertension.
A person is considered to have pre-hypertension if resting blood pressure is 120-139/ 80-89, Stage 1 hypertension if blood pressure falls within the 140-159/90-99 range, and Stage 2 hypertension if numbers are 160 or greater/100 or greater. A person diagnosed with Stage 1 or Stage 2 hypertension is generally prescribed antihyperintensive medications, but increased physical activity is encouraged for people at all levels of hypertension.
What may seem odd is that blood pressure actually increases slightly during exercise. But, this acute effect of exercise is a normal response. As the body starts to move more vigorously, muscles and cells in the body require more oxygen. So the heart rate and breathing rate speed up to suck in more oxygen and distribute it throughout the body. Although heart rate can double, blood pressure typically only rises a bit. And it’s only the top number (systolic blood pressure) that tends to increase in response to physical activity. Systolic pressure reflects the force of the blood being pushed out into the arteries by the heart. But the rise is typically only slight because a fit person develops an improved capacity for the blood-vessel walls to expand to accommodate greater, faster and stronger blood flow. Conversely, after exercise, blood pressure can lower. This is known as post-exercise hypotension.
There is some concern that people with hypertension may not have the same compliance in their arterial walls and so may be at higher risk if blood pressure spikes during exercise. So, if you have high blood pressure, you should always get the OK from your doctor to exercise. And you may want to build up to higher intensities gradually, although it’s unclear whether intensities of exercise play a role in blood-pressure changes.
During exercise, the bottom number (diastolic blood pressure) may stay the same or slightly decrease. If the diastolic number increases, this is a red flag that the exercise should be stopped, according to guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine.
People who are taking blood-pressure medications such as vasodilators, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, beta blockers and similar meds may have a diminished blood-pressure response to exercise. Of course, most people who exercise do not check their blood pressure throughout the session. Blood pressure is typically only measured during clinical exercise testing. That’s why you need clearance from your doctor before you proceed.
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Two of my elderly friends (76 and 85) recently had a stroke. Both were on blood pressure medication. Both exercised to the extent they could (Tai Chi, walking). What I would like to know is why they did have a stroke despite taking BP medication. I asked my doctor and he said (he does not know them) that they most likely were ‘non-compliant’ with their medication. I know them and think they did take their medication. Why did they still have strokes?
I will tell you why because most of these doctor do not know what they are doing or the detail side effect of my of the prescription they recommend.
They usually give too high a dose for older people and the side effect of most of the medicine they prescribe is worst than the high blood pressure itself.
I have been on many kind of medication; it gave me diabetes (weight gain from the medication), vertigo, kidney failure, stroke, heart attack,etc.
Now due to the vertigo my ear, nose, and throat doctor just took me back to a diaretic. It is not for the high blood pressure but that all I take. I eat right and exercise and my high blood pressure is not the greatest but it is not the worse either. I am losing wieght and I try and keep myself calm and not worry about anything I can’t change.
Either way it is a risk. I will take my chances because the prescribed medication by my heart doctor, internal medicine doctor and hypertension doctor was not working either and giving me more problems than high blood pressure and was not stopping me from having minor strokes and moderate heart attack either.
We pay all that money to see a doctor and for medication and all it is doing is giving us more problems and making what they are trying to control worse by all the other side effects that the medication gives up until it kills us anyway.
God Bless and Belive in Jesus Christ even more and I am sorry for you loss. I know from reading your answer that you really care a great deal about them. The same thing happen to my brother last year and he was only 54.
You have to be you own advocate and know your body well and not continue to take medication that is in essence killing you.
Thank you for your reply, Gwendolyn!
NO NO NO!!!!! There have been many deaths eroprted with the use of OTC diet medication and High blood pressure. If you Feel you need an appetite suppressant, see your Doctor, PLEASE!!! There are other ways to curb your appetite and lose weight. Keep off the Bad carbs, eat the Good carbs easily found in any cheap paperback book stay away from dairy, red meat, fats-bad fats- some olive oil is ok, but remember it, also, has calories, but is good for you, also. If you eat low (about 15 grams) good carbs, eat protein, and stay away from what i mentioned, and split up your meals into 6 small ones daily, you WILL lose weight. By eating 6 small meals daily, this keeps your insulin levels at the proper level, and you will not be hungry. If you are diabetic or have any other medical problems or issues, please, see your Doctor before beginning this or any weight loss program. The only thing Over the counter diet pills will do for you is hurt you, or even kill you-HONEST. See your Doctor or Health Professional, please. Good luck IT DOES WORK and is the healthy and actually the fastest for me that I ever tried and I still eat this way, i have energy, and I do light exercise-important-and have maintained a 45 pound weight loss. You WILL succeed. I will be thinking of you.