Daily arterial blood pressure profile in young athletes in the inter-competition period

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate a daily profile of arterial pressure in young athletes (cross country skiers) during inter-competition period. Materials and methods: the research involved 58 people aged 18 to 30 years (30 healthy athletes involved in skiing and 28 untrained young persons). The ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was conducted in all participants. Results: analysis of ABPM results among young athletes and untrained individuals showed that the daily average systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) above the normal range (> 135/85 mm Hg) was observed in5 athletes of the first group (16.6%) and in 3 participants of the second group (10.7%). The daytime average systolic and diastolic blood pressure (> 140/90 mm Hg) was detected in 8 sportsmen of the first group (20.6%) and in 2 individuals of the second group (7.1%). The night average SBP and DBP (> 125/75 mm Hg) was detected in 6 sportsmen of the first group (20.0%) and in 4 particpants of the second group(14.2%). According to the degree of BP night fall the category of «Dipper» included 15 sportsmen (50%) from the first group and 20 sportsmen (71.4%)from the second group. The category of «Non-Dipper» included 8 sportsmen (26.6%) from the first group and 2 persons (7.1%) from the second group. The category of «Night-peaker» included6 sportsmen (20%) from the first group and 4 sportsmen (14.2%) from the second group. The category of «Over-Dipper» included5 sportsmen (16.6%) from the first group and 2 persons (7.1%) from the second group. Conclusions: 33.2% of the athletes showed increased blood pressure (I-st and II-nd degree) in inter-competitionseason. The average daily blood pressureincreased in 16.6% of young athletes. 50% of the athletes showed a fluctuation of dailyprofile of arterial pressurewith little decreaseor nightincrease ofblood pressure. Young athletes showed significantly higher rates of the following indicators: the daily average, the daytime average and the nightly average blood pressure levels, predominantly variability of systolic blood pressure, hypertension time index compared with healthy untrained persons.