Some studies suggest that for the greatest heart protection, it is not the duration of a single exercise session that counts but the total daily amount of energy expended. Therefore, the best way to exercise may be in multiple short bouts of intense exercise, which can be particularly helpful for older people.
Resistance (weight) training has also been associated with heart protection. It may offer a complementary benefit to aerobics by reducing LDL levels. Exercises that train and strengthen the chest muscles may prove to be very important for patients with angina.
Effects of Exercise on Blood Pressure. Regular exercise helps keep arteries elastic, even in older people, which in turn ensures blood flow and normal blood pressure. Sedentary people have a 35% greater risk of developing hypertension than athletes do.
 | Click the icon to see the risks associated with untreated hypertension. |
It should be noted that high-intensity exercise may not lower blood pressure as effectively as moderate-intensity exercise. In one study, moderate exercise (jogging two miles a day) controlled hypertension so well that more than half the patients who had been taking drugs for high blood pressure were able to discontinue their medication.
However, a small study published in 2005 suggests that moderate exercise does not have a significant impact on systolic blood pressure (the top number) in older adults. While those who exercised did have notable drops in both the top and lower (diastolic) blood pressure levels, the only statistically significant change was the decrease in the lower number.
Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise on most -- if not all days. Studies have indicated that yoga and tai chi, an ancient Chinese exercise involving slow, relaxing movements, may lower blood pressure almost as well as moderate-intensity aerobic exercises.
 | Click the icon to see an image of someone practicing yoga. |
Anyone with existing hypertension should discuss an exercise program with their doctor. Before starting to exercise, people with moderate to severe hypertension should lower their pressure and be able to control it with medications. They should avoid caffeinated beverages, which increase heart rate, the workload of the heart, and blood pressure during physical activity. Everyone, and especially people with high blood pressure, should breath as normally as possible through each exercise. Holding the breath increases blood pressure.
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