Hypertension is a major risk factor and contributor to premature death and
disability from stroke, acute myocardial infarction, cardiac insufficiency, and sudden
death. A person with a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg has twice the risk of
cardiovascular death as a person with a systolic blood pressure of 120 mmHg. Aside
from drugs, regular exercise and lifestyle changes are significant treatments in
correcting hypertension. It is important to help clients and patients achieving a certain
minimum exercise level along with appropriate lifestyle behavioral changes. It is
especially important to prescribe low to moderate 30 min of continuous exercise with a
frequency of 3 to 5 d·wk-1 along with a certain amount of resistance training to
maintain lean muscle mass.
Keywords: Afterload, Cardiovascular system, Myocardial infarction, Myocardial
oxygen consumption, Systemic vascular resistance, Systolic blood pressure.
