It’s no secret that exercise can benefit your cardiovascular health, but it’s particularly important for people with high blood pressure to stay physically active. A recent study has shown that men with a high level of fitness and elevated blood pressure may still be able to lower their risk of cardiovascular disease.

It’s clear that physical activity plays an essential role in maintaining heart health, and this research further reinforces the point.

The new study is from the University of Eastern Finland. It used Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease study data to help evaluate the relationship among systolic blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and cardiovascular disease-related mortality. There were 2,682 participants, all of whom were men aged 42 to 61 years.

The study, published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, found that during a median of 28.5 years of follow-up, high blood pressure was associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular mortality. Participants with a low fitness level had an elevated likelihood of cardiovascular death. And, compared with men with normal blood pressure and increased fitness, men with high blood pressure and low fitness had more than twice the risk for cardiovascular death.

The authors of the study concluded, “These findings add to the emerging evidence that achieving and maintaining the highest level of CRF during adulthood is important for lowering the risk of chronic disease outcomes as well as death, and the most effective way of doing this is through regular and increased physical activity or exercise training.”

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It can increase the risk of developing serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage. High blood pressure is particularly dangerous because it can easily go undetected, as it usually doesn’t have any noticeable symptoms.

For this reason, it’s crucial to get regular blood pressure checks and make lifestyle changes that can lower high blood pressure, such as following a healthy diet, engaging in physical activity, managing stress levels, and avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.

By maintaining healthy blood pressure, you can support cardiovascular health and promote overall heart health.

This article was originally published on BelMarraHealth.com