This study identified two patterns of exercise-induced hypotension. Early, almost always due to severe coronary artery disease, and late, six times more common than early in which only half were due to coronary artery disease. Causes of a late hypotensive response to exercise that were not due to severe coronary artery disease included valvular heart disease, orthostatic hypotension, cardiomyopathy, idiopathic causes, and drugs. Drugs that contributed to a late exercise-induced hypotension response were diuretics, vasodilators, and negative inotropic agents.