NASHVILLE, TENN. — Higher cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with lower all-cause mortality in hypertensive women, Carolyn E. Barlow said in a poster presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine.
Ms. Barlow, director of data management at the Cooper Institute, Dallas, presented the results of an open cohort study of almost 13,000 women who were followed for up to 26 years. The women were part of the Cooper Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, a prospective observational study of lifestyle and health.
All the women who participated in the study were examined at the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas from 1971 to 1998, and they were followed up yearly for mortality.
At baseline, the women received a comprehensive medical examination and exercise prescription. They also took a treadmill test, which was used to determine their fitness level. The lowest 20% in each age group were considered “unfit,” while the upper 80% in each age group were considered “fit.” At baseline, their average age was 43 years. Of the cohort, 51% were normotensive, 31% were prehypertensive (120/80 mm Hg), and 18% were hypertensive (140/90 mm Hg or higher).
There were 298 deaths during the study period. After adjustment for age, exam year, and smoking, a trend toward lower mortality risk was seen in fit women, compared with unfit women in each blood pressure group, but only in the hypertensive group was the difference statistically significant. Fit hypertensive women were 54% less likely to die than unfit hypertensive women.
The decreased risk of death was 19% for normotensive fit women, compared with unfit ones, and 5% for prehypertensive fit women, compared with those who were unfit.
“We have shown a similarly decreased risk for hypertensive men,” Ms. Barlow added.