AHA Recommends Physical Activity for Mildly High BP

The American Heart Association has released a new scientific statement on the use of physical activity for elevated blood pressure or cholesterol.

This scientific statement expands upon the current guidelines recommending lifestyle approaches for treating and preventing these conditions. Individuals with mild to moderate elevated blood pressure and cholesterol should be utilizing lifestyle-only approaches, with a focus on physical activity, as a first-line treatment.

Approximately 21% of adults in the United States have mild to moderate-risk blood pressure, and approximately 28% to 37% of adults have mild to moderate-risk cholesterol. These otherwise healthy individuals are among the patient populations that should be recommended physical activity as a lifestyle-only treatment by their health care providers.

Clinicians are encouraged to prescribe exercise by providing guidance and resources at every patient interaction, such as patient counseling and use of local community centers to increase the time spent exercising.

“Of the recommended lifestyle changes, increasing physical activity has extensive benefits, including improving both blood pressure and blood cholesterol, that are comparable, superior, or complementary to other healthy lifestyle changes,” the statement concludes. “Physical activity assessment and prescription are an excellent lifestyle behavior treatment option for all patients, including for the large population of mild-moderate–risk patients with elevated blood pressure and blood cholesterol.”

—Leigh Precopio

Reference:

American Heart Association Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health members, Gibbs BB, Hivert MF, Jerome GJ, et al. Physical activity as a critical component of first-line treatment for elevated blood pressure or cholesterol: who, what, and how? A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Hypertension. 2021;77. doi: 10.1161/HYP.0000000000000196