A study shows that moderate exercise causes no harm to the hearts of older adults

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Older adults with mild high blood pressure have everything to gain and nothing to lose from moderate exercise.
It may sound like an excuse - but older adults often fear that exercise may 'strain' the heart, especially if they already have high blood pressure. It's true that exercise is accompanied by a rise in blood pressure, because of the exertion involved, but a new scientific study by Johns Hopkins researchers show there's no cause for concern.

They investigated a group of 104 men and women aged 55 to 75, all of whom had mild high blood pressure. Half of them followed a supervised exercise program for an hour three times a week. The rest carried on with their usual routine. The exercise participants did aerobic work on a treadmill, stepper or bicycle, plus weightlifting. Detailed studies of the heart - the first time this has been done in this context - showed no ill effects regarding ability to function, pump and fill with blood. Indeed, only benefit was seen - the participants' hearts got bigger, but stronger rather than weaker. They also lost abdominal fat and became generally fitter. The findings suggest that most people with mild high blood pressure could expect useful health benefits from following a moderate exercise program.

Source
Heart July 2006

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