Exercise blood pressure relative to fitness and cardiovascular outcomes: the EXERTION study
Authors' conclusion
Exercise systolic BP relative to fitness is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular events
Study context
- Population
- People who completed a standard exercise stress test (Bruce treadmill protocol, stages 1–4) at six Australian hospitals; aged 53 ± 13 years, 60% male1,349 events
- Participants
- 12,743 people
- Exposure
- SBP/METPeak quartiles
- Outcome
- Fatal/non-fatal CVD events
- Follow-up
- Median 51 months (IQR 32-75 months)
Methodological detailsmulticentre (six Australian hospitals), record linkage, competing risks regression
- Multicentre (six Australian hospitals)
- Record linkage
- Competing risks regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
CV events by SBP/METPeak quartile (fourth quarter HR)
Fourth quarter vs First quarterHazard ratio (95% CI)
Stage 1
2.54(2.08–3.12)
Stage 2
2.05(1.64–2.57)
Stage 3
1.60(1.22–2.10)
Peak
2.43(1.99–2.98)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Exercise SBP without consideration of fitness
- Not associated with CV events
- P > 0.05
SBP/METPeak ≥90th vs <90th percentile
- Increased risk of CV events (stages 1-3 and peak)
- 55-94%
- P < .001
SBP/METPeak thresholds 15 to 24 mmHg/METPeak, males and females
- Associated with CV events in both males and females (stages 1-3 and peak)
- P < 0.001
Subgroups: without cardiovascular disease (CVD), normal pre-exercise blood pressure (BP), on BP-lowering medication
- Results persisted
Original publication
Exercise blood pressure relative to fitness and cardiovascular outcomes: the EXERTION study. Eur Heart J. Published 13 January 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →