Relationship between maximum arterial pressure response to exercise and left ventricular hypertrophy in normotensive subjects

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: To determine whether normotensive persons with increases of systolic blood pressure with exercise have left ventricular hypertrophy and/or diastolic disfunction. METHODS: A cross-sectional study, using echocardiography as a measurement of left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic disfunction, was made among healthy population: 53 men, voluntary office workers from a firm and conscript army recruits, aged between 19 and 51 (mean 28, SD = 10.3) who were subjected to the exercise test and the echocardiography. RESULTS: Twelve people (22.6%) with left ventricular mass index superior to 134 g/m2; and five (9.4%) with a systolic response during exercise higher than 210 mm of Hg. The multiple linear regression showed an association between maximum systolic blood pressure with exercise and the left ventricular mass index in the entire group of subjects (R2 = 18.4%: p < 0.01), but a modification effect with age was detected: no association was found (R2 = 2.8%; p = 0.37) among people under 25 (n = 30), but one was found among the older subjects (R2 = 28.8%; p < 0.01). Diastolic disfunction was associated with age, baseline heart rate and resting diastolic blood pressure (R2 = 64.3%; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In normotensive subjects, the finding of an exaggerated blood pressure response to exercise could be related to left ventricular hypertrophy.