Management of Hypertension in Athletes

Arterial hypertension is the most important preventable contributor to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the general population and the most common cardiovascular condition in competitive athletes. Arterial blood pressure in athletes is influenced by a number of factors related to sports participation, including sporting discipline, type of training, level/intensity of training and even position of play. Hypertension in athletes is diagnosed and classified at the same cut‐off values used in the nonathletic population. Out‐of‐office blood pressure measurements include home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Both modalities are useful for the diagnosis of hypertension and masked hypertension, exclusion of white‐coat hypertension, evaluation of athletes with resistant hypertension, follow‐up of athletes with normal–high blood pressure in the office and evaluation of the effects of therapeutic interventions. Hypertensive athletes should be examined to assess asymptomatic target organ damage.