Case study: Life changes on a bike

“I was worried about my health during exercise. It turned out that I have arterial hypertension and my blood pressure rises too much during exercise. This damaged my blood vessels and put me at risk for a heart attack. I am glad that with the help of the specialists of Paliesius clinic, my blood pressure has returned to normal and I can live without medication with regular dosed physical activity ” (Gabrielius, cyclist from Lithuania)

3 years ago Gabriel decided to take up a bike and immediately liked the sport, but he didn’t feel safe because of his family health history and being overweight. He was  worried that high-intensity exercise could be harmful to his health. Gabriel had seen signs of high blood pressure, also, his father and mother had arterial hypertension.

Gabriel came to Paliesius clinic with the the goal to feel safe during trainings and competitions.

Test results at Paliesius clinic showed elevated blood pressure which also increased during exercise. The ECG testing of the heart showed a slow heart rate recovery but no cardiac arrhythmias. Arrhythmias become more common after the age of 35. An ultrasound of the heart revealed a slightly thickened heart muscle, which meant that Gabriel had had high blood pressure for a long time and that his blood vessels were affected.

Arterial hypertension was diagnosed and treatment with appropriate blood pressure control was prescribed.

The goal of the 3-day cycling program was to test for any health or life-threatening disorders during exercise under real-world conditions. At the same time, it was aimed to assess his physical capacity and provide exercise recommendations to help reduce body weight, blood pressure and improve athletic performance.

After 3 years of exercise therapy, Gabriel’s weight returned to normal, and no drug treatment was required to properly control blood pressure.