blood pressure and RHR

[BettySwollocks2]

Are blood pressure and resting heart rates a good measure of fitness?

I ask as I had my 6 monthly check at work today and the results of both seem contradicting. My RHR was read as 45bpm, which to me is nice and low and would point to me being quite fit and adds up as i visit the gym for intense sessions 4 times a week as well as playing 11 a side footbal saturday and sunday in premier local divisions. what worried me was my blood pressure was 137/68, which is too high systolic and too low diastolic (I think thats the right way round) should I be worried?

[goldblum]

No.

Edited by goldblum on Wednesday 11th January 11:29

[goldblum]

I'll qualify that comment a bit..a RHR of 45 is evidence of your fitness and a systole of 140 is considered benchmark; for diastole is 80.From the

figures you've given your heart seems very fit.

[dave_s13]

I thought the benchmark was 120/80?

[goldblum]

dave_s13 said:

I thought the benchmark was 120/80?

Yep,my mistake,I need to pay attention.

OP - still no need to worry though

[Ayrton Senna]

goldblum said:

Yep,my mistake,I need to pay attention.

OP - still no need to worry though

140/80 is what is considered high-end of normal. In any case, 45 is an excellent heart rate and is usually what endurance trained athletes have. Your BP is fine. Diastolic (second reading) is within the normal range, systolic is a little high, but BP can fluctuate from moment to moment.

Just out of interest - was the BP measurement taken while you had rested for at least 10 minutes? Was the value an average of 3 readings?

Edited to add: BP and HR are good measures of cardiovascular responses to a task not neccesarily fitness. Aerobic fitness is best measured using other tests such as the maximal oxygen consumption test (VO2 max test). The VO2max test is the current gold standard measure of cardiovascular fitness.

Edited by Ayrton Senna on Friday 13th January 23:49

[goldblum]

Ayrton Senna said:

goldblum said:

Yep,my mistake,I need to pay attention.

OP - still no need to worry though

140/80 is what is considered high-end of normal. In any case, 45 is an excellent heart rate and is usually what endurance trained athletes have. Your BP is fine. Diastolic (second reading) is within the normal range, systolic is a little high, but BP can fluctuate from moment to moment.

Just out of interest - was the BP measurement taken while you had rested for at least 10 minutes? Was the value an average of 3 readings?

Edited to add: BP and HR are good measures of cardiovascular responses to a task not neccesarily fitness. Aerobic fitness is best measured using other tests such as the maximal oxygen consumption test (VO2 max test). The VO2max test is the current gold standard measure of cardiovascular fitness.

Edited by Ayrton Senna on Friday 13th January 23:49

I think the answer to the OP's question has already been posted. Also I'm well aware of current guidelines for cardiovascular fitness measurement and would

have gone further in my own answer but didn't want to blah on needlessly and bore people.

[Ayrton Senna]

goldblum said:

I think the answer to the OP's question has already been posted. Also I'm well aware of current guidelines for cardiovascular fitness measurement and would

have gone further in my own answer but didn't want to blah on needlessly and bore people.

Sorry, but my answer is slightly more detailed than yours, but not extensive enough to 'needlessly bore' people. The OP had asked are BP and HR measures of fitness? You did not answer that question at all. Thus, I gave my insight on that.

Always keep in mind, that even if the question has been aswered, others can still share their knowlegde to strengthen or dispute others points on the matter.

[BettySwollocks2]

Alright guys you both answered my question. The resting heart rate was average of 3 measurement and I'd been at rest for about 3 minutes. How do u work out vo2 max

[Ayrton Senna]

BettySwollocks2 said:

Alright guys you both answered my question. The resting heart rate was average of 3 measurement and I'd been at rest for about 3 minutes. How do u work out vo2 max

Ok thats fine. 3 minutes rest is close to the 5 minutes advised by the ACSM guidelines. As long as you didnt rush to the room you had the BP measurements done then it is likely to be ok.

VO2max tests are incremental exercise tests where the intensity of the test is increased after each stage (a stage is typically two minutes). It reflects the maximum cardiac ouptut (which is the total volumne of blood pumped by the heart in one minute). If you have a high cardiac output, then your fitness is also likely to be high and you will also consume more oxygen during exercise (and as such, have higher maximal oxygen consumption).

The test can be carried out on a treadmill (or other exercise devices like cycle or arm ergometer). A mask is attached to your face, and your ventilation is measured at rest and during exercise and recovery. So the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide are measured by special gas analysers. You will then start running at a selected speed on the treadmill. Usually, after 2 minutes the incline on the treadmill is increased and the exercise gets progessively harder thereafter. The idea is that your cardiorespiratory system is gradually put under greater load until you cannot tolerate any further increases in the exercise intensity.

Encouragement is usually given by the exercise physiologist, because in the later stages of the test, your motivation to continue may dwindle.

The test encompasses your cardiac, respiratory and skeletal muscle systems and test their efficiency to deliver and utilise oxygen during prolonged exercise.

Edited to add: Vo2max requires specialist equipment (gas analysers) and exercise physiologists to interpret data - thus, they are used mainly in a clinical or research setting in Universities, hospitals, or human performance labs.

Edited by Ayrton Senna on Saturday 14th January 11:41

[goldblum]

Ayrton Senna said:

The OP had asked are BP and HR measures of fitness? Thus, I gave my insight on that.

Good,then you box quote the OP,not me.It's quite simple really..

Oh and don't fking patronise me by attempting to remind me how a forum works you cheeky .

[Ayrton Senna]

goldblum said:

Oh and don't fking patronise me by attempting to remind me how a forum works you cheeky .

Your rambling above doesn't affect me in any way, but please get treatment for your unneccessary aggression - it will be for your own good. Kisses.

Edited by Ayrton Senna on Saturday 14th January 20:03

[E38Ross]

i can't believe no-one has asked the OP's age.... or at least i didn't see it.
considering BP rises with age....

but those figures are nothing to really worry about