RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Exercise Stress Testing In Blood Pressure Evaluation
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Practice
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 161
OP 168
DO 10.3122/jabfm.2.3.161
VO 2
IS 3
A1 Phillip A. Hertzman
YR 1989
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/2/3/161.abstract
AB The purpose of this study was: (1) to confirm exercise stress testing as a standard in the diagnosis of hypertension, (2) to clarify which measurements during exercise testing are most reliable, and (3) to refine the definition of normal blood pressure response during ergometric exercise testing. Blood pressure response during maximal ergometric exercise testing was observed in 183 persons with no history of hypertension, 176 persons with borderline blood pressure readings, and 60 established hypertensives. Men and women had significantly different blood pressure response to exercise (P < 0.05). Comparison of blood pressures at 100-watts workload, at peak exercise, and 5-minutes postexercise provided significant information for distinguishing between normal, borderline, and established hypertensive persons (P < 0.025–0.001). Comparing the slopes of pulse rate versus blood pressure linear regression curves was not helpful. Regression equations generated for predicting correct blood pressure classification improved classification accuracy (compared with random classification) by 44.9 percent in men and by 66.8 percent in women. The results showed that ergometric stress testing in blood pressure evaluation is a safe and reliable procedure for aiding in a more accurate diagnosis of hypertension.