Zona Use to Lower Blood Pressure

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

Zona Use to Lower Blood Pressure

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Do you have any info on Zona to lower blood pressure?

Answer:

If you have high blood pressure, regular exercise is a good idea. Blood pressure is reduced by aerobic exercise. You can see an average drop of four to six points (millimeters of mercury) even if you only do aerobic exercise twice weekly.

Can a gadget like the "Zona," which helps you to do hand-grip ("isometric") exercises, benefit you as much as aerobic exercise can? The evidence is not as clear. The largest collection of data about isometric exercise was a combination of small studies, and it found a small average drop in blood pressure.

Going for a brisk walk, bike ride, or run is less expensive and more likely to be beneficial for high blood pressure than a home hand-grip exercise ritual.

Mary Pickett, M.D., is a lecturer for Harvard Medical School and an assistant professor of medicine at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, OR. At OHSU, she practices general internal medicine and teaches medical residents and students.

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Last updated:	July 20, 2009

Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.

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