Fwd: Daily News - Monday, September 02, 2002

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> Daily News from Healthypages

> Monday, September 02, 2002

> _______________________________

>

> Fitness levels affect stress-induced high blood pressure

>

> Women who have a high level of personal fitness may be less likely to

> develop high blood pressure in response to stress, according to recent US

> research.

>

> Scientists at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, showed that

> fitter women had an increased heart rate during stress tests compared with

> women who were less fit. Fitter women also pumped a lower volume per heart

> stroke so that blood pressure and heart output remained constant.

>

> Dr Rod Dishman and colleagues examined blood pressure responses during

> active and passive stress inducing tasks in 26 healthy, men and women with

> normal blood pressure and of varying fitness levels.

>

> Fitness levels were determined by measuring oxygen use while exercising on

> a stationary bike. Participants were then given three stressor tasks – a

> mental arithmetic task, a hand cold pressor task in which the individual’s

> hand was immersed in ice-cold water for two minutes, and a forehead ice

> test in which the subject placed an ice bag on their forehead for two

> minutes.

>

> Compared with the less fit participants, fitter individuals had a greater

> increase in heart rate during the mental arithmetic task, accompanied by a

> larger compensatory reduction in stroke volume.

>

> During the hand cold pressor task, increases in blood pressure were

> inversely related to fitness among women but not among men.

>

> “The blunted systolic blood pressure response among the fitter women has

> implications for clarifying the usefulness of the [hand in ice test] as a

> predictor of future risk of hypertension among women,†wrote the study

> authors.

>

> They said that further research is needed to provide a better test of the

> independent effects of cardio-respiratory fitness on responses during

> stress.

>

> The research is published in the journal Psychophysiology.

>

> © HMG Worldwide Ltd 2002

>

>

> *******************************

>

> Other stories

>

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> patients waiting for treatment.

> Full story: http://www.healthypages.net/elist/redirect.asp?i=18520 & l=4625

>

> Electronic mosquito repellent claims “falseâ€

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> Full story: http://www.healthypages.net/elist/redirect.asp?i=18520 & l=4626

>

> Government urged to invest in NHS support staff

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> policy think-tank.

> Full story: http://www.healthypages.net/elist/redirect.asp?i=18520 & l=4627

>

> Western lifestyle may increases allergy risk

> More research has appeared suggesting that allergic diseases are rapidly

> increasing across all age groups, with a western lifestyle cited as the

> likely culprit.

> Full story: http://www.healthypages.net/elist/redirect.asp?i=18520 & l=4628

>

> Long hours and stress take hold of UK workforce

> Stressed-out UK employees would rather work more sensible, shorter hours

> than win the lottery, according to a new report.

> Full story: http://www.healthypages.net/elist/redirect.asp?i=18520 & l=4629

>

> Doubt over benefits of stretching before exercise

> Stretching before and after exercise does not prevent muscle soreness or

> reduce the risk of injury, an Australian study suggests.

> Full story: http://www.healthypages.net/elist/redirect.asp?i=18520 & l=4630

>