Impact of menopause on blood pressure during exercise
Official title: Impact of menopause on blood pressure regulation during exercise
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11203451 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how menopause affects blood pressure and leg blood flow during exercise in healthy women after menopause.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | August 5, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $678,987 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AG094714-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11203451 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Post-menopausal women without other major health conditions who can safely participate in submaximal exercise tests.
✕Less likely to help
Women who are not post-menopausal or who have unstable cardiovascular conditions may not benefit from this study.
What this research studies
Post-menopausal women often show higher blood pressure during submaximal exercise and may have reduced leg blood flow. This project will explore the role of locomotor muscle signals and respiratory effort in driving these changes. By examining how these factors differ from pre-menopausal women and younger adults, it aims to identify mechanisms that link menopause with cardiovascular risk during physical activity. The findings could point to strategies to improve safe exercise and heart health for women after menopause.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of why blood pressure rises during exercise after menopause could lead to targeted interventions to reduce cardiovascular risk and improve exercise safety for post-menopausal women.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research shows that menopausal status affects cardiovascular responses to exercise, supporting potential benefit from this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Joshua R. — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Smith, Joshua R.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.