Fitness Regimen Helps to Lower Blood Pressure

Nondrug approaches to lower high blood pressure (hypertension) are popular but data as to their efficacy has been inconsistent.  The American Heart Association issued a Scientific Statement in which it summarizes the blood pressure-lowering efficacy of several nondrug approaches and to provide a class of recommendation for their implementation in clinical practice.  Robert D. Brook, Chair of the AHA’s research panel and an associate professor of medicine at the University of Michigan (Michigan, USA), report that exercise-based regimens, including aerobic, dynamic resistance, and isometric handgrip  modalities, have “relatively stronger supporting evidence,” lending the panel to write that: “It is the consensus of the writing group that it is reasonable for all individuals with blood pressure levels >120/80 mmHg to consider trials of alternative approaches as adjuvant methods to help lower blood pressure when clinically appropriate.”