Koletsos N, et al. - Researchers compared blood pressure (BP) responses during a submaximal handgrip in individuals with masked hypertension (masked-HYP) vs normotensive individuals and individuals with sustained hypertension (true-HYP). They also investigated whether exercise BP is associated with total peripheral resistance (TPR), central/aortic BP, and 24-hour ambulatory BP (24-h BP). Participants included 86 subjects with untreated, newly diagnosed, masked-HYP (n=27), true-HYP (n=31), as well as 28 normotensive individuals. Beat-by-beat BP and hemodynamics assessment (Finapres Medical Systems) was performed among these participants during a 3-minute handgrip (30% maximal voluntary contraction), after evaluation of office BP, central/aortic BP, pulse wave velocity, carotid intima–media thickness, echocardiocardiography, and 24-h BP. Exaggerated BP and TPR responses were observed during handgrip in masked-HYP. These responses were similar to those exhibited by true-HYP. From the first minute of exercise, these responses were evident. These responses showed correlations with 24-h BP. Based on the findings, a brief, submaximal, handgrip test could unmask systolic and diastolic masked-HYP.