When exercising, blood pressure will rise. How should people with high blood pressure exercise?

A friend asked Huazi, can people with high blood pressure do strenuous exercise? When exercising, blood pressure rises, so why is it said that exercise can also lower blood pressure?

Huazi said that people with high blood pressure can exercise, because science has proven that exercise can effectively lower blood pressure, and both aerobic and resistance exercise need to be performed. However, there is a prerequisite that must be kept in mind, that is, blood pressure must be stabilized before exercise. If blood pressure exceeds 160 mmHg, exercise is not recommended .

1. Effects of exercise on blood pressure

When people exercise, the oxygen consumption of muscle tissue increases, so the heart rate speeds up and cardiac output increases, the body's systolic blood pressure (high pressure) rises, but the blood vessels dilate, so the diastolic blood pressure (low pressure) decreases.

Exercise can improve the body's metabolism, improve the function of the autonomic nervous system, reduce sympathetic nervous system tension, increase the secretion of endorphins and serotonin, and relieve anxiety and depression. It can also promote blood circulation, increase blood vessel elasticity, and improve cardiopulmonary function through the contraction and relaxation of peripheral muscles.

Therefore , although blood pressure will temporarily rise during exercise, its long-term effect on the human body will be to lower blood pressure .

2. Control your blood pressure before exercising

People with mildly elevated blood pressure can keep their blood pressure within normal range through exercise. For people with more severe elevated blood pressure, exercise can help lower blood pressure, reduce the dosage of antihypertensive drugs and reduce the incidence of adverse drug reactions.

However, it should be noted that the increase in blood pressure during exercise poses a potential risk to patients with hypertension because exercise will cause blood pressure to continue to rise from the current level. If the blood pressure of patients with hypertension is not controlled, the blood pressure during exercise will be even higher, which may induce cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents.

A safer approach is to measure blood pressure before exercising and only exercise when blood pressure is below 160 mmHg .

3. How should people with high blood pressure exercise?

It is recommended to do moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes at least 5 times a week, and resistance exercise (strength training) twice a week . It is recommended to exercise 2 hours after dinner, and not to do morning exercises, to avoid morning peak hypertension .

Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as jogging, cycling, swimming, square dancing, etc., is suitable for a heart rate of 70% of the maximum heart rate of age . There is a simple calculation method "170-age", for example, when a 40-year-old person is exercising, the heart rate reaches about 130 per minute, which is moderate intensity.

It is recommended that people over 65 years old and those with cardiovascular diseases reduce the intensity of exercise and do not deliberately pursue heart rate standards to avoid accidents.

For resistance exercise, you can choose dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands and other exercise equipment. Choose a weight that suits you and contract your muscles. Keep breathing normally during exercise. It is not recommended to choose push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups and other exercises that require holding your breath . Because when a person holds his breath, the chest pressure increases, which may cause the risk of inducing disease.

Housework can also be counted as aerobic exercise, such as washing clothes, washing dishes, mopping the floor, walking the dog outdoors, playing with children, etc. You can rush to do it, and it can also enhance family relationships while exercising. A harmonious family and a relaxed mood can relax your emotions and also have the effect of lowering blood pressure.

To sum up, although exercise can increase blood pressure in the short term, its long-term effect is to lower blood pressure. People with high blood pressure can adhere to reasonable and regular exercise, which can help lower blood pressure. However, everyone should note that exercise cannot completely replace the effect of antihypertensive drugs. Most people with high blood pressure still need to take antihypertensive drugs regularly while exercising to control their blood pressure.

Drugs must be used under the guidance of a doctor. If you have any questions about medication, please consult a doctor or pharmacist. I am pharmacist Huazi, welcome to follow me and share more health knowledge.