Question Title: blood pressure during stress test

I took a stress echo test that came out normal. The question that I have is - what is supposed to happen to the blood pressure as a person exerts him or herself? I heard my doctor say to his assistant while taking my blood pressure at the end of the FOURTH stage on the treadmill that my pressure was something over XX. What does XX mean? Does it mean 100? If so, isn't that kind of high for a diastolic pressure during exertion? Before I started running my diastolic pressure was 70. I thought the diastolic pressure was supposed to drop during exertion while the systolic pressure rises. Will you please clarify exactly what is supposed to happen to blood pressure when a person is running hard? And can you tell me if XX means 100 and if it does can you tell me if that's high for diastolic pressure during exertion? I need to know whether I should question my doctor about this. Thanks.

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Dear Lourdes,
Firstly, if your doctor told you that your test was normal and you question one
of the results, ask about it, or at least consider another physician.
Both the systolic and diastolic components of the blood pressure should rise with exercise. The term XX is not one that I am familiar with and is likely an
abreviation for a normal diastolic blood pressure that the staff uses at the testing center where you had your stress echo. Regardless, ask your physician any and all questions you have regarding your care, as well as any test you may have.

I hope this information is useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for
general purposes only. Only your physician can provided specific diagnoses and therapies.
Feel free to write back with further questions. Good luck!

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call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at
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cardiac problem.

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