During aerobic exercise, what should happen to diastolic blood pressure (DBP)?

During aerobic exercise, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) generally remains stable or changes minimally. This is because, during exercise, the heart rate increases and systolic blood pressure (SBP) rises significantly due to the increased cardiac output. However, the vascular system adapts to the demands of exercise by dilating the blood vessels in the working muscles, which helps maintain or minimize changes in DBP.

While blood is being pumped more forcefully during active phases of the heartbeat, the diastolic phase, where the heart relaxes, does not see a proportional increase in resistance due to vasodilation. Therefore, it is typical for DBP to remain relatively constant even while SBP rises. This is an important aspect of how the cardiovascular system responds to the demands of exercise without imposing excessive pressure on the arterial walls during relaxation periods.

Understanding these dynamics is critical for exercise physiologists when assessing cardiovascular responses in individuals during physical activity.