2004 Volume 45 Issue 5 Pages 799-805
The aim of the present study was to investigate the adverse effects of hypertension on the cardiovascular system in daily activities and the effect of acute blood pressure reduction on oxygen (O2) uptake kinetics.
Twenty hypertensive patients were included in the study group. Patients performed treadmill exercise tests (2.5 km/hour and 5 inclines) twice, before and after blood pressure reduction with sublingual captopril. In the control group, ten hypertensive patients underwent two tests one hour apart without blood pressure reduction brought about by drug therapy. The changes in O2 kinetic values (O2 deficit and mean response time [MRT]) between the two tests were investigated.
In the study group, the O2 deficit and MRT values measured during the first exercise testing were found to be 547 ± 183 mL and 40 ± 9 seconds, while those in the second exercise testing were 401 ± 127 mL and 34 ± 7 seconds, respectively. In the control group, the O2 deficit and MRT values measured during the first exercise test were 491 ± 217 mL and 42 ± 16 seconds and 515 ± 159 mL and 41 ± 13 seconds in the second exercise test. The differences in O2 deficit and MRT in the study group were considered to be statistically significant (P = 0.008 and P = 0.004, respectively).
Based on our findings, there was a significant improvement in O2 kinetic values with an acute reduction in blood pressure in hypertensive patients, most likely as a result of an improved response in cardiac output.
