Did you know? Aging does not compromise the inhibitory influence of the cardiopulmonary baroreceptors on blood pressure during exercise

Abstract

Older people develop an exaggerated blood pressure (BP) during whole body exercise, which is associated with a higher risk of sudden cardiac death, myocardial infarction, future hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and left ventricular hypertrophy. Since regular exercise is a common mitigating strategy for many health pathologies associated with aging, identification of the underlying mechanisms responsible for the exaggerated BP response is warranted in order to establish effective exercise prescription. Blood pressure, both at rest and exercise, is regulated within a narrow range around a set value (operating point, OP) by the arterial baroreflex (ABR) via modulation of autonomic neural activity to the heart and vasculature. As BP increases during exercise, the ABR is reset in direct relation to the exercise intensity, and regulates the elevated BP around the new OP.2 The resetting of the ABR during exercise is mediated by activation and interaction of central and peripheral signals arising from higher brain centers (central command), exercising skeletal muscles (exercise pressor reflex) and the cardiopulmonary baroreceptors.