This study was designed to clarify the relations of blood pressure (BP) response during exercise to the risk of future hypertension and to examine the effects of aerobic exercise on hypertensive risks in normotensive men with exaggerated BP response during exercise. The results obtained were as follows:
　1) After the follow-up period of 7 years, new-onset hypertension was found in 114 out of a population-based sample of 726 middle-aged normotensive men. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates showed that the cumulative incidence of hypertension increased progressively with higher levels of BP responses during exercise (p<0.01). Cox proportional survival analysis revealed a significantly increased risk for developing hypertension associated with exaggerated BP response after multivariate adjustments for traditional risk factors (relative risk, 3.8; 95% confidence interval, 2.3-6.1).
　2) Randomized controlled crossover trial in 35 sedentary normotensive men with exaggerated BP response to exercise demonstrated that a program of moderate aerobic exercise for 16 weeks significantly attenuated BP elevations during laboratory exercise stress test and daily physical activities which accompanied with the reductions in plasma norepinephrine concentrations at rest and during exercise.
　These results suggest that BP measurement during exercise among normotensive subjects is a valuable means of identifying subgroups which are more likely to develop hypertension. Additionally, regular physical activity interventions may be useful for lowering the risk of future hypertension in normotensive subjects with exaggerated BP response to exercise.

DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.23/THE DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE