What is the effect of chronic aerobic exercise on resting blood pressure in hypertensive individuals?

What is the effect of chronic aerobic exercise on resting blood pressure in hypertensive individuals?

• A. It raises resting blood pressure.
• B. It has no effect on resting BP.
• C. It lowers resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure by improving vascular function.
• D. It lowers resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure but only via reducing heart rate.

Answer: (D)

Chronic aerobic exercise lowers resting blood pressure in hypertensive individuals mainly by improving vascular function, which reduces systemic vascular resistance. Regular endurance training enhances endothelial function and arterial compliance, making blood vessels more capable of relaxing and accommodating blood flow. This decrease in vascular resistance lowers both systolic and diastolic pressures at rest. While resting heart rate often falls with aerobic training and that can contribute to a smaller cardiac output, the primary driver of the BP reduction is the improved condition of the vessels, not heart rate alone. So the overall effect is a modest but meaningful drop in resting blood pressure due to better vascular health, with heart rate reduction playing a secondary role.