The Claim
In middle-aged male long-distance runners, peak exercise diastolic blood pressure (DBPmax) is significantly associated with an elevated E/E′ ratio (8.0 ± 1.9 vs. 6.9 ± 1.8), a marker of subclinical left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, independent of resting blood pressure.
What the research says
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In middle-aged male long-distance runners, higher diastolic blood pressure during peak exercise is linked to a measurable indicator of reduced heart relaxation efficiency, even when resting blood pressure is accounted for.
See the scientific wording
In middle-aged male long-distance runners, peak exercise diastolic blood pressure (DBPmax) is significantly associated with elevated E/E′ ratio (8.0 ± 1.9 vs. 6.9 ± 1.8), a marker of subclinical left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, independent of resting blood pressure, suggesting that exercise-induced pressure overload may impair early myocardial relaxation.
During intense exercise, high diastolic blood pressure pushes harder against the heart's left ventricle, making its walls stiffen over time. This stiffness prevents the heart from relaxing properly between beats, so blood doesn't fill in smoothly, causing a measurable rise in the E/E′ ratio.
What the research says
1 studyRunners who get high blood pressure during intense exercise show subtle signs their heart doesn't relax as well between beats, even if their blood pressure is normal when they're resting. This suggests their hearts are under extra stress during workouts that isn't visible otherwise.
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies
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