Exercise testing unmasks exaggerated blood pressure independent of fibrinolytic response in Black but not White postmenopausal females

Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2024 Feb 9. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00023.2024. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTExercise testing unmasks more exaggerated systolic blood pressure responses (SBP) in Black compared to White male adults. Such responses, if translatable to females, may detect racial disparities particularly relevant during menopause. Given the endothelial involvement in BP regulation and as a source of fibrinolytic markers, it follows that fibrinolytic and BP response to exercise could be linked. Thus, we examined BP and fibrinolytic responses to exercise testing in Black and White postmenopausal females. Postmenopausal females (Black= 40; White= 41; 51-70 years) performed maximal treadmill exercise. BP and blood draws were conducted before and immediately after exercise. Plasma samples, using minimal stasis, were analyzed for tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) activity and antigen, respectively. Resting SBP and fibrinolytic potential were similar between races. Black females exhibited greater increases in SBP during exercise (change (d)=75, 95% CI: 64-86mmHg, p<0.001) than White females (d= 60, 95% CI: 48-71mmHg, p<0.001). Black compared to White females had smaller changes in tPA (d= 3.27, 95% CI: 2.28 to 4.27 IU/mL, p<0.001 vs d= 5.55, 95% CI: 4.58 to 6.53, p<0.001) and PAI-1 (d= -2.89, 95% CI: -4.39 to -1.40 IU/mL, p<0.001 vs d=-5.08, 95% CI: -6.59 to -3.61, p<0.001) activities after exercise. SBP ex...
Source: American Journal of Physiology. Heart and Circulatory Physiology - Category: Physiology Authors: Source Type: research