Therapeutic Exercise and Hypertension

Abstract

Hypertension implies chronic elevation in SBP and DBP above levels considered desirable or healthy for the person\'s age and size. The focus of this review is to discuss the therapeutic efficacy of exercise on human hypertension. The paper revealed that hypertension is common among African, also that acute exercise raises the BP while
exercise training (chronic exercise) reduces the BP in hypertensive patients but may not reduce the BP of normotensive individual. Exercise function test and prescription were also highlighted. The paper concluded that therapeutic exercise is safe and effective in the
management of hypertension. It was recommended that emphasis should be placed on therapeutic exercise in the management of hypertension in Africa.

Keywords: Therapeutic exercise; Systolic pressure; Diastolic pressure

African Research Review Vol. 2 (3) 2008: pp. 249-261