Physical Activity vs High Blood Pressure: Does It Matter When/Where You Get Active?

Last week, I pointed out a study suggesting that exercise is good for your knees, not just the typical rationale.  But here I am a week later back to the basics in a meta-analysis of 13 prospective cohort studies published early online prior to print in December in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association in which the authors concluded that greater recreational physical activity was associated w/lower risk of hypertension but no link was found to occupational physical activity.  This study of studies involved 136,846 participants w/o hypertension who were followed for close to a decade on average.

Previously, some studies had found a link while others had not.  What's most interesting being on the clinician side is that I often hear about how physically demanding (nice euphemism for physically active) one's job is.  Therefore, that patient claims there's no need to exercise upon getting home.  However, this meta-analysis suggests that there is a difference between physical activity at home vs work as the former is linked to a lower risk of developing hypertension while the latter isn't.  Of course this study isn't designed to explain why but it does make one ponder the mysteries of life.  In the meantime, make sure you do something once you get home, even after a tough day at the office, whether it's indoors or outdoors.

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