The Terminator

I had mine checked today, would you believe 114 over 75? My last ride was a 22 miler on Saturday. I am laying off the bike for today, family day and all that. Gee, not bad for a 40 year old fat guy. Those bi-daily 22 milers are working miracles. My son even told me that I was getting "skinnier" today.

Does anyone know the exact relationship between cycling (exercise) and BP? I know that it lowers it, but I really don't know by what means or process. Best -

DnvrFox

Extensive pretty recent discussion on this at:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...blood+pressure

Oops! I see you were a part of that discussion, so you already know about it! Sorry!

HalfHearted

My cardiologist says that regular exercise expands your arteries. Your blood pressure rises quite significantly during the exercise, and this forces your arteries open. As soon as you stop exercising your BP rebounds toward normal rather quickly (how quickly depends on your vascular and overall health) but the arteries tend to remain open. The regular cycle of exercise to expand the arteries has, over time, the effect of increasing your body's ability to deliver blood at lower pressures -- i.e. you need a given amount of blood to sustain a given activity level and if the blood is being delivered through larger pipes the pressure will be lower.

Thus, while your BP will climb very high during exercise, the more you exercise regularly the lower your resting BP will be. (Actually, your stressed BP, resting BP, and recovery rate all improve over time.) I've seen this effect myself. Last year I was running an hour a day on an eliptical glider and making long rides on the weekends and my resting BP (with medication) dropped to around 100/65. My back started bothering me and I backed off the exercise and my resting BP (with same medication) rose back to around 120/80 after a few months. I'm forcing myself back into the exercise routine (though not as strenuously) in spite of the back pain and my BP is coming down again.

juciluci

110/70.. and i have ASD

always a low normal

fujibike

100/70 this a.m. on one of those machines - 60 pulse. That is pretty accurate when I compare to what my physcian reports at my annual physical.

wabbit

I just had it checked and it was at the high end of normal- 140 over something. But i wasn't surprised, because I'd been having terrible stress, hadn't been sleeping well and the weather was crappy so I hadn't been riding. The previous check a month earlier showed it as LOW! DUring most of my life my BP was low or normal. I've only had my blood pressure go up this past year because I've been under a lot of personal stress, and I've been on a medication that can cause that as well. So I'm not freaked out about it, and I've been feeling less stressed in the days since, so I'm sure the next time I check it it'll be normal. And I am sure that once this stressful period is over I'll probably not have this problem again. I have to admit it does worry me a bit, but worrying only makes things worse!

John M

113/74 P 64 last night 112/72 p 52 this morning and 113/74 P67 right now. not bad for a 49 yr old that is overweight. April 17 it was 165/100, that is bad Next day I hit 177/97. Doc has me on Bp pills that I am suppose to get off June 17, got my finger crossed. I did 24 mi Thu, 32 Sat, 32 today and flew my stunt kite 2 hrs Fri, 1.5 hrs yesterday and 2.5 hrs today. I am a high normal, 130/80 so these numbers are good for me !

Zin

At my last doctor appt. 103/68.

John M

Dude! that is one set of low #'s. I would be happy with 120/70 w/o meds!

Litespeed

Just checked mine after walking the dog for 40 minutes at a brisk pace. 96/61. I'm 52 years old, female, 110 lbs. I go to the gym 3 times a week and exercise at least an hour every day, walking, biking or whatever.

shokhead

128/78


High is above 140/90
High normal is 130-139/85-89
Normal is 120-129/80-84
Optimal is less then 120/80

wabbit

As I figured: i checked my BP today and it was 125/70. Normal! I knew it was the stress, and lack of physical activity. It had been raining a lot and I hadn't been on a ride in a few days. Since then, I've been able to get out every day except for today.

The Terminator

Thank you for your explanation Halfhearted. I have noticed that a couple of arteries, or veins (blue) are becoming more pronounced across my shin bones. Best -

cbhungry

Normal excercise physiology shows that there is an initial increase in systolic blood pressure and then a drop during sustained excercise (sometimes below preexcersize level) due to endothelian relaxation factor. However, this latter blood pressure lowering effect is impaired in those prone to hypertension or have hypertension or have underlying cardiac desease and during a stress test these people have sustained elevated blood pressure. In fact, cardiologist use this as a prognostic indicator. However, the average person's blood pressure actually drops for most of a treadmill or cycling test. ( I am talking about cardio excercise vs. lifting weights )

ULooKinAtMe?

For what it's worth, I see a doctor regularly for a neurological disorder and to regulate my hypothyroidism (odd for a 37 year old male) and my BP is always 90/50. The only downside to my cadaverously low BP is standing up quickly from a prone or kneeling position and getting a LIGHTS OUT feeling for a second or two.

John M

I get what cbhungury describes above. I have hypertension and was a high normal prior to by BP taking a liftoff. My BP runs ~ 110/68 now on Diovan HCL, but when I do a lot of exercise it drops to 108/65. Next morning back up 110/67. But when I do to many days in a row it does the 120/75 to 106/65 type bounce. My body's way of telling me I am stating to do to much, take a day off. My Doc has noticed this as I chart my BP daily.

foehn

Heh, heh, that's what my blood pressure used to be when pregnant with each of my three kids.
I inherited varicose veins from my father and bad knees and GOOOD blood pressure from my mom.

If my blood pressure is taken upon my resting (sitting) for a few minutes in the doctor's office, it is usually around 115 over 69 or so.