Determination of Systolic Blood Pressure Recovery Time after Exercise in Apparently Healthy, Normotensive, Nonathletic Adults and the Effects of Age, Gender and Exercise Intensity

Int J Exerc Sci 2(2): 115-130, 2009. The aim of this study was to determine in statistical terms, the systolic blood pressure recovery time (SBPRT) and the effects of age, gender and exercise intensity in a large sample of apparently healthy non-athletic adults (n=597, aged 18-68). Subjects performed mild, moderate, and severe ergometer exercise tests. Blood pressure was measured before exercise (after 10 and 15 minutes of rest), during exercise (at 2-minute intervals) and at every minute of post-exercise recovery until systolic blood pressure (SBP) returned to baseline. The present findings indicate that the average values of SBPRT were between 5 and 7 minutes regardless of age, gender or exercise intensity. Systolic blood pressure recovery time increased with each age group (p<0.001) in all the exercise intensities. Young and middle-aged men indicated higher SBPRT than females (p<0.001) in mild and moderate exercise regimens. In men, SBPRT appeared to decrease with increase in exercise intensity (p<0.001) but indicated no significant differences amongst the exercise intensities in women. The present study therefore indicated mean SBPRT values that were consistent with previously reported values and which indicated age and gender effects following three exercise intensities of cycle ergometer. The reported data will help clinicians to define post-exercise SBP responses in statistical terms stratified by age, gender and exercise intensity in future investigations and during clinical assessment of individuals