Blood-pressure response to ergometric work in normotensive subjects, aged 20-50 years. 1. A standardized ergometric procedure is suitable for diagnosis, especially in borderline hypertension and for the prognostic judgment of stable hypertension. However, knowledge about the age and sex-dependent values of normal exercise blood pressure is scanty. 2. Therefore, the normal blood-pressure and heart-rate response during and until 5 mins after ergometric work (50 to 100 watts) was investigated in 323 normotensive subjects (173 males, 150 females), aged 20 to 50 years. 3. At an equal work load, the systolic blood pressures were not significantly different between men and women, or within the age decades. However, diastolic blood pressure response was significantly (p less than 0.05-p less than 0.001) influenced by age. 4. The upper limit for normal blood pressure in men and women between the ages of 20 and 50 years is 200/100 mm Hg (means + 1 SD) at a work load of 100 watts, and corresponding heart rates of 126 +/- 13 and 145 +/- 10 beats/min, respectively. A normal blood-pressure response in the recovery phase is at most 140/90 mm Hg (means + 1 SD) in the fifth minute. 5. The results are of clinical importance for the assessment of blood pressure during and after ergometric work.