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Int J Sports Med 2024; 45(12): 930-936
DOI: 10.1055/a-2330-9869
Clinical Sciences

Excessive Blood Pressure Rise and Cardiovascular Remodeling in Marathon Runners

Hye Bin Gwag
1   Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Korea (the Republic of)
,
Young-Joo Kim 
2   Department of exercise rehabilitation & Welfare, Sungshin Womenʼs University, Seongbuk-gu, Korea (the Republic of)
,
Kyoung-Min Park
3   Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Heart Vascular and Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (the Republic of)
› Author Affiliations Funding Information This was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (No. 2018R1D1A1B07045527).
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Abstract

Exercise-induced hypertension (EIH) is thought to be associated with increased cardiovascular (CV) risks. However, no previous studies have investigated the effects of EIH on CV systems in marathon runners without CV risk factors using both 24-hr ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring and exercise stress echocardiography (ESE). This study firstly described differences in CV adaptations according to EIH assessed by both exams. Marathon runners between 35 and 64 years of age without CV risk factors were eligible. All the participants underwent both 24-hr ambulatory BP monitoring and ESE. EIH was defined as a maximal exercise systolic BP≥210 mmHg. The EIH group (n=19) had shorter training history and higher exercise intensity compared to the non-EIH group (n=23). The average systolic BP was higher in the EIH group than in the non-EIH group. Left cardiac chamber size and left ventricular mass (LVM) were also higher in the EIH group compared to the non-EIH group. Maximal BP during ESE was positively correlated with both parameters. Exaggerated BP response during exercise needs to be monitored for pre-emptive measurements before it results in progressive cardiovascular maladaptation.

Keywords

marathon - exercise-induced hypertension - cardiac remodeling - 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure - exercise stress echocardiography


Publication History

Received: 27 February 2024

Accepted: 21 May 2024

Accepted Manuscript online:
21 May 2024

Article published online:
24 July 2024

© 2024. Thieme. All rights reserved.

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