Effect of exercise on blood pressure of patients with advanced hypertension before and after thoracolumbar sympathectomy

The most important measure of the value of an operation designed for the treatment of hypertension is the degree of fall in the blood pressure postoperatively. When results are discussed, the change in the levels of the blood pressure far outrank in importance the other measures of improvement, such as symptomatic relief, regression in cardiac size, improvement in the electrocardiogram and the eyegrounds. Smithwick 1 has emphasized the need for determining the blood pressure in the lying, sitting and standing positions preoperatively and postoperatively because of the significant effect of posture on its level. As a result of some interesting experimental data obtained by Blakemore and King, 2 we have studied the effect of moderate exercise on the blood pressure of a group of patients suffering from advanced hypertension before and after thoracolumbar sympathectomy. Blakemore and King observed that the blood pressure of normal dogs exercised on a treadmill did