Data collected from a group of female athletes at the University of Georgia and the University of Florida show that, despite being otherwise healthy, almost half of participants had elevated blood pressure. “There have been very few studies describing the female athlete’s heart, and risk factors that might lead to cardiac morbidity and mortality in this group,” said Cecil Rambarat, MD, a cardiology fellow at the University of Florida and the study’s lead author, in a statement. “This work gives us a baseline through which we can study the female collegiate athlete’s heart in comparison with the male athlete’s heart.” For the study, researchers checked blood pressure readings for 329 female athletes. The results were categorized using the 2017 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association guidelines for high blood pressure in adults. Surprisingly, nearly half of participants showed blood pressure outside what’s considered normal (less than 120 millimeters of mercury [mmHg] systolic and less than 80 mmHg diastolic). Of those, 61 percent were classified as having elevated blood pressure (120–129 mmHg systolic and less than 80 mmHg diastolic); 38 percent were classified as having stage 1 hypertension (stage 1 high blood pressure is 130–139 mmHg systolic or 80–89 mmHg diastolic), and 1 percent was classified as having stage 2 hypertension (140 or more mmHg systolic or 90 or more mmHg diastolic). “That’s really a remarkable proportion given that these are young, supposedly healthy women," Dr. Rambarat said in the statement. “It’s something that requires further study. If these female athletes are developing high blood pressure at a younger age — maybe associated with their training, maybe associated with other lifestyle measures — we may need to start thinking about better ways of modifying any identifiable risk factors, or potentially [consider] starting [some] patients on medication for high blood pressure at a younger age.” There were also significant differences in the findings based on the sport the women played. Athletes who participate in dynamic sports (sports that involve more time spent actively moving) like softball versus those who take part in more static sports (characterized by bursts of intense movement against a stationary object) like gymnastics showed a higher prevalence of hypertension. “We believe that the dynamic versus static component of each sport plays a role in the development of elevated blood pressure in female athletes due to the different types of training required for static versus dynamic sports and the associated effects that this training has on the female athletic body type and heart,” Rambarat says. Future research will look at changes on cardiac ultrasound in female athletes participating in different sports to see if there is any visual effect of the static and dynamic component of sport on the heart.
The Importance of Regularly Checking Your Blood Pressure
It is worth noting that the data was limited by the small size of the study and the fact that participants had their blood pressure checked only one time. Blood pressure needs to be checked at least twice to confirm a diagnosis of hypertension, according to the updated 2017 blood pressure guidelines. Regardless of its limitations, however, this study shows the need for further research on heart health in female athletes. According to Rambarat, female athletes have historically been underrepresented in medical and scientific studies. “There has always been a bias towards male subjects in medical research, which has gradually changed over the past two decades,” he says. “In addition, women were underrepresented in sports until the passage of the Title IX act in the 1970s, which allowed women equal opportunity to participate in sports. Since then there has been a dramatic increase in female participation in competitive sports, which has led to a call for more research on female athletes’ hearts.” Untreated high blood pressure can result in stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney disease, vision loss, and sexual dysfunction. Checking your blood pressure regularly, and checking in with your physician if your numbers are outside the normal range, is the best way to prevent long-term health consequences. “Blood pressure checked in the comfort of one’s home is often more reliable than that checked in a doctor’s office, because of the anxiety associated with visiting a doctor,” says Rambarat, adding that electronic blood pressure monitors are both simple to use and readily available.
How to Maintain Healthy Blood Pressure
For young female athletes who may be at risk of developing hypertension, avoiding other risk factors, like smoking, alcohol consumption, and stress while maintaining a healthy, low sodium, high potassium diet are important. “Young persons, especially female athletes, who have an elevated blood pressure noted in a measurement should continue to check their blood pressure,” says Rambarat. “If blood pressure remains elevated (greater than 120/80) they should then make an appointment to visit with their local internist or family medicine practitioner in order to develop a plan for lowering their blood pressure.” He adds that follow-up is important for long-term health because “young individuals who have elevated blood pressure for many years are at elevated risk of developing cardiac disease.” RELATED: 6 Things You Should Know About High Blood Pressure
