Updated Blood Pressure Guidelines: Implications for Athletes

• Published in: Current hypertension reports Vol. 24; no. 10; pp. 477 - 484
• Main Authors: Ghasem, Wesley, Abouzeid, Christiane, Toresdahl, Brett G., Shah, Ankit B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.10.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Age; Blood pressure; Body fat; Body mass index; Cardiology; Cardiovascular disease; Clinical trials; Early intervention; Exercise; Family Medicine; General Practice; Guidelines/Clinical Trials/Meta-Analysis (WJ Kostis; Hypertension; Internal Medicine; Measurement techniques; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Nephrology; Overweight; Primary Care Medicine; Section Editor; Student athletes; Topical Collection on Guidelines/Clinical Trials/Meta-Analysis; Hypertension; Exercise-induced cardiac remodeling; Athlete’s heart; Exercise physiology; Supplements
• ISSN: 1522-6417; 1534-3111
• DOI: 10.1007/s11906-022-01210-8

Purpose of Review To review the prevalence, short- and long-term impact of exercise on blood pressure, and the evaluation and treatment of hypertension in competitive athletes. Recent Findings Due, in part, to inconsistencies in measurement and the definitions used, the true prevalence of hypertension is unknown as reports range from 0 to 83%. With recent changes in the blood pressure guidelines, the proportion of athletes that meet criteria for elevated blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension has increased dramatically with over one-third of collegiate and professional athletes meeting criteria for hypertension. Data consistently show that American-style football players, particularly linemen, display the highest rates of hypertension. These athletes typically have a larger body mass index, higher body fat percentage, and weight gain in serial follow-up. Many athletes with hypertension have traditional risk factors, and, to date, there is no evidence of a causal relationship between long-term sport participation and increased risk of developing hypertension. Summary Many more athletes now meet criteria for hypertension, given the updated blood pressure guidelines. This should be taken as an opportunity for early intervention, as athletes are not immune to the development of cardiovascular risk factors and disease.