Research

Mixed

A hypertensive response to exercise (HRE) at moderate intensity is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events and mortality, whereas HRE at maximal intensity is not significantly associated with increased risk.

If you undergo an exercise stress test, pay attention to your blood pressure response at moderate effort, not just at your maximum. An exaggerated rise in blood pressure during moderate exercise is a significant warning sign for future heart problems, even if your blood pressure is normal when you are sitting still. This finding is independent of your age and other risk factors, so discuss these results with your doctor to determine if further cardiovascular evaluation is needed.

GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
An HRE at moderate exercise intensity during exercise stress testing is an independent risk factor for CV events and mortality... Systolic BP at maximal workload was not significantly associated with the outcome of an increased rate of CV... whether analyzed as a categorical... or a continuous... variable.
Martin G. Schultz et al. · American Journal of Hypertension · 2012

Why this rating

Large sample size (46,314 individuals) and long follow-up (mean 15.2 years), but heterogeneity in study designs and lack of individual patient data.

Source

Exercise-Induced Hypertension, Cardiovascular Events, and Mortality in Patients Undergoing Exercise Stress Testing: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Martin G. Schultz et al. · American Journal of Hypertension · 2012

DOI 10.1093/ajh/hps053

Meta-analysis · 12 studiesCited 299×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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