Heart rate and blood pressure

[Mike Kingery]

I would like to gain information on the relationship between heart rate and blood pressure during exercise. They must be related, but I do not know if the relationship is linear and proportionate, or what. I use a heart rate monitor (Polar) so have that data for my workouts. I would like to correlate this with blood pressure, if it is possible.

The other option is to measure blood pressure during the workout. Is this practical in a home gym? Does anyone know of a blood pressure meter that can be worn during a workout?

Any comment would be much appreciated.

Mike

[razorcut]

I would like to gain information on the relationship between heart rate and blood pressure during exercise.......Does anyone know of a blood pressure meter that can be worn during a workout?

I'm not aware of any linear relationship between the two, but I'm certainly no exercise physiologist.

A slight elevation in blood pressure during exercise is a normal response. However, there are multiple credible studies now showing blood pressure response during exercise can help predict those likely to develop hypertension down the road. Specifically, there is a clear correlation between individuals whom experience abnormally high BP readings during exercise and the subsequent development of hypertension.

Monitoring your BP during exercise would be difficult. You could have someone periodically check it with a standard BP cuff (not very practical). There are also wrist BP monitors now available: http://www.bodytronics.com/page/body...essure/HYHW201
I'm not sure how accurate these would be.

[Mike Kingery]

Thanks for the info. I had a stress test in a hospital recently in which they put me on a treadmill and worked me according to a modified Bruce protocol. They measured BP during the test using a regular arm cuff and mercury manometer. So, I know that it must be relevant to cardiac performance or they would not measure it. I think I will experiment with taking my own measurements using a wrist device. Thanks again.

[kaption]

Hm Im just going to work this out. Someone correct me where I am wrong.

Your heart rate increases due to stress, your perhipreal blood vessles constrict causing your blood pressure to go up (sympathetic response). However when you are exercising your get warm and sweaty, so your blood vessels dialate in reaction to the increased temperature. This would lower or keep it the same. Unless you add more fluid to your circulatory system or decrease the volume size of your circulatory system your BP wont go up, or no? On the other hand if your heart rate is so fast the the blood coming back to your heart isn't filling it (low preload) your essentially shooting blanks from your heart, so I'd imagine your BP would drop.

I don't know I am just thinking out loud. Someone smarter than me clear it up.

[razorcut]

Your heart rate increases due to stress, your perhipreal blood vessles constrict causing your blood pressure to go up (sympathetic response). However when you are exercising your get warm and sweaty, so your blood vessels dialate in reaction to the increased temperature. This would lower or keep it the same.

The sympathetic input during active exercise is the main driving force, thus the period of induced hypertension. Immediately after exercise, when this sympathetic drive is removed, there is a period of relative hypotension.