High blood pressure can reduce breathing capacity, study says

A new study has found that hypertension can impair breathing capacity by hardening the airways of the respiratory system, thus increasing resistance. The study was published in the journal Advances in Respiratory Medicine and conducted by researchers from the Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

However, the study found that physical activity can help improve respiratory muscle function, resulting in better coordination between ventilation and blood flow in the lungs. Hypertension is a condition in which blood pressure remains unusually high. The condition is also known to thicken blood vessels and harden arteries.

The researchers said something similar happens with the bronchi, which are also branches of the main trachea of ​​the respiratory system.

Rodolfo de Paula Vieira, visiting professor at the Federal University of Sao Paulo and last author, said: “This is very important since the more hardened the bronchi become, the more difficult it is for air to enter and leave the lungs. In the long run, this accelerated process of hardening of the bronchi makes it difficult for older people to breathe. Even worse, it is a cycle: lower oxygen saturation accelerates the aging process throughout the body.”

However, engaging in physical activity was found to partially protect the airways from hardening due to increased blood pressure. The authors said: “We conclude that systemic arterial hypertension compromises lung function and mechanics in older adults and that a physically active lifestyle appears to partially accentuate these impairments. Therefore, having a physically active lifestyle can mitigate these pulmonary alterations induced by hypertension in older adults.”

Vieira said that while hypertension is known to affect lung function, the mechanism involved was not clearly understood until now.

For the study, researchers measured the respiratory function of more than 700 men and women ages 60 and older, with or without high blood pressure, along with air resistance. Muscle strength was assessed by observing hand grip, while respiratory muscle strength was assessed by measuring air pressure as participants inhaled and exhaled.

They also answered questionnaires about their physical activity habits and quality of life. Vieira said the findings highlighted the need to look at lung function in patients with high blood pressure.

“Our findings show that doctors should refer patients diagnosed with high blood pressure to a specialist for tests that evaluate lung function and mechanics, especially older patients,” Vieira said.

Although changes in lung function are expected with advancing age, the study showed that physical exercise can partially protect the lungs from the effects of hypertension, the researcher added. Therefore, older patients “should also be counseled about the importance of an active lifestyle to avoid loss of lung function due to high blood pressure,” Vieira said.

(With input from PTI)