Abstract des Autors

The Sports Medical Center Berlin e.V., an outpatient prototype center for sports medicine in West Berlin, semi-annually conducts training programs under medical supervision, specializing in the prevention and rehabilitation of cardiovascular diseases. After an initial medical examination of the participants, the training consists of endurance exercises of 60-90 min duration twice a week, tailored to the respective individual's needs and capacity, and supplemented by a suitable relaxation program and regular workshops on health topics. Of the patients under treatment for hypertension by a general practitioner, 39 course participants (31 men, 8 women) between the age of 29 and 66 years of age (mean age: 48) underwent comparative examinations before and after the training program by controlled cycling exercises in a seated position. These exercises resulted in a significant lowering (p<0.001) of both the systolic and diastolic resting blood pressure (157.18+/-19.66/98.72+/-10.74 in comparison with 142.31+/-13.37/90.05+/-8.99 mmHg), as well as, for example, of the active blood pressure at 100 W, (191.51+/-19.13/99.87+/-10.79 in comparison with 175.49+/-22.64/91.28+/-8.33 mmHg). The body mass index remained constant throughout the examination period. These results confirm the effectiveness of endurance training in combination with other behavior-changing measures, over and above general medical treatment, and thus justify an enlargement of this model, for example, through installation of facilities for outpatients suffering from hypertension. Verf.-Referat