Exercise can lower blood pressure, and its effect is comparable to that of first-line antihypertensive drugs. What kind of exercise is best?

A friend asked Huazi, "I often see articles saying that exercise can treat high blood pressure. Is this true?" What is the effect of exercise on lowering blood pressure? What kind of exercise is best? Huazi said that exercise does have the effect of lowering blood pressure, and the effect is comparable to first-line antihypertensive drugs.

Some people with high blood pressure that does not exceed 160/100 mmHg can even control their blood pressure by exercising alone, without taking antihypertensive drugs. However, for most people, they still need to take medication regularly while exercising to control their blood pressure.

1. Exercise is as effective as medication in lowering blood pressure. In relevant studies, regular exercise can significantly reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension. Systolic blood pressure (high blood pressure) can be reduced by 10-15 mmHg; diastolic blood pressure (low blood pressure) can be reduced by 5-10 mmHg. When first-line antihypertensive drugs are used alone, they can reduce high blood pressure by 7-10 mmHg and low blood pressure by 3-5 mmHg on average.

In other words, the blood pressure-lowering effect of exercise is actually higher than that of first-line antihypertensive drugs. However, most hypertensive patients do not exercise enough or have high initial blood pressure values. Exercise alone cannot control blood pressure and they still need to take medication regularly.

2. Aerobic exercise and resistance training Exercise to lower blood pressure is divided into aerobic exercise and resistance training. Aerobic exercise refers to long-term, low-intensity, continuous exercise with sufficient oxygen supply and aerobic metabolism of body muscles during exercise, which can better consume excess calories in the body and better exercise cardiopulmonary function.

For example, brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, aerobics, badminton, table tennis and other exercises are all aerobic exercises.

Resistance training refers to using muscles to overcome resistance. Resistance can come from equipment, such as dumbbells, pullers, etc.; resistance can also come from oneself, such as push-ups, sit-ups, etc.

3. Exercise must meet the standard to lower blood pressure Someone told Huazi that he exercises every day, but it has no effect on blood pressure. Huazi asked him what kind of exercise he did, and he said he went out for a walk after dinner. Huazi told him that the intensity of his exercise was too low. If you want to use exercise to produce the effect of lowering blood pressure, the intensity must meet the standard.

Aerobic exercise: The daily exercise time should be maintained at 30 to 60 minutes, preferably all at once. If physical strength does not allow, it can also be done in segments, but each aerobic exercise should not be less than 10 minutes. The intensity of aerobic exercise can be estimated by heart rate, and the heart rate should reach "170-age". For example, for a 50-year-old, the standard heart rate for aerobic exercise is 120.

Resistance training: 2-3 times a week, you can use equipment, dumbbells, elastic bands, etc., choose different movements to exercise the muscles of the whole body, and repeat the movements about 8-12 times to fatigue the muscles as one set. Practice different movements 2-3 sets each time.

IV. Things to note when exercising for patients with hypertension 1. Control blood pressure: Measure blood pressure before exercising. If blood pressure exceeds 160 mmHg, it is not recommended to exercise. You need to use medication first to control blood pressure below 160 mmHg before exercising. If you have coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, heart failure and other diseases, you need to see a doctor to assess the risk of exercise and exercise only after confirming that there is no problem.

2. Warm up well: Move your body joints before exercise and stretch your muscles after exercise to avoid sports injuries. People who have not exercised for a long time should start exercising gradually and increase the amount of exercise after getting used to it.

3. Don’t try to be too aggressive: Do not do aerobic exercise for more than 1 hour, otherwise it will be counterproductive and you may get injured; do not do resistance training beyond your ability, and do not do movements that require holding your breath or excessive explosive force to avoid cardiovascular accidents caused by sudden force.

4. Long-term persistence: Exercise to lower blood pressure cannot be achieved overnight. It requires long-term regular exercise to produce a blood pressure-lowering effect. Generally speaking, it takes at least 4 to 6 weeks of continuous exercise to see a drop in blood pressure.

5. Contraindications to exercise: If you have retinal hemorrhage, renal insufficiency, diabetic foot, acute infection, aortic stenosis and other diseases, it is not recommended to exercise, or you should exercise under the doctor's advice.

In summary, exercise can lower blood pressure, and its antihypertensive effect is comparable to that of first-line antihypertensive drugs. However, exercise requires a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training, and the intensity must be appropriate, and long-term persistence will have a blood pressure-lowering effect. When exercising, you should pay attention to protecting yourself. People with high blood pressure or contraindications should not exercise.

For most patients with hypertension, exercise can help lower blood pressure and reduce the dosage of antihypertensive drugs, but it cannot completely replace antihypertensive drugs. Maintaining regular medication is still the best way to control blood pressure. 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.