Higher Physical Education (PE) Practice Exam 2026 - Free PE Practice Questions and Study Guide

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During exercise, how do systolic and diastolic blood pressure typically change, and why?

BP decreases during exercise

Systolic BP rises with increasing exercise intensity due to greater cardiac output; diastolic BP may stay the same or decrease slightly due to vasodilation in active muscles

During exercise, the body increases cardiac output to deliver more oxygen to working muscles. This boosts the pressure generated in the arteries with each heartbeat, so systolic blood pressure rises as exercise intensity increases. At the same time, blood vessels in active muscles dilate to allow more blood flow, which lowers or keeps the resistance in the systemic circulation from rising. That vasodilation helps keep diastolic pressure from climbing and often causes it to stay the same or decrease slightly, even as the heart is pumping more vigorously. So you typically see a fall or little change in diastolic pressure, with a clear rise in systolic pressure as effort increases.

Both systolic and diastolic BP rise with exercise

Systolic BP rises while diastolic BP also rises substantially