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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2019 Aug 5:14:1407-1418.
doi: 10.2147/CIA.S207254. eCollection 2019.

Acute antihypertensive effect of self-selected exercise intensity in older women with hypertension: a crossover trial

Ingrid Bezerra Barbosa Costa  1   2 , Daniel Schwade  2 , Geovani Araújo Dantas Macêdo  1   2 , Rodrigo Alberto Vieira Browne  3   2 , Luiz Fernando Farias-Junior  3   2 , Yuri Alberto Freire  1   2 , Júlio Sócrates  3   2 , Kevin F Boreskie  4   5 , Todd A Duhamel  4   5 , Eduardo Caldas Costa  1   2   3
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Acute antihypertensive effect of self-selected exercise intensity in older women with hypertension: a crossover trial

Ingrid Bezerra Barbosa Costa et al. Clin Interv Aging. .

Abstract

Purpose: Acute reduction in blood pressure (BP) following an exercise session is evidenced in controlled settings with formal supervision in hypertensive older populations. This study investigated the effect of a self-selected exercise (SSE)-intensity session on ambulatory BP in hypertensive older women in a "real-world" setting.

Methods: Twenty inactive older women with hypertension (64.9±4.5 years) were included in this randomized, controlled, crossover trial. After baseline assessments, participants performed 30 minutes of an SSE-intensity session on an outdoor track and a control session, separated by 7-10 days. Heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and affective response were assessed. Ambulatory BP was monitored for 20 hours following both sessions. Paired t-tests and generalized estimation were used for data analysis.

Results: Participants exercised at 5.1±1.1 km/h, spent ~90% of the exercise time at moderate-vigorous intensity (≥40% of heart rate reserve). SSE-intensity session was reported as light (RPE 11.0±1.5) and pleasant (affect 3.4±1.2). SSE-intensity session elicited reductions in systolic BP in the first 6 hours postexercise (6.0 mmHg, CI 2.7-9.3 mmHg; P<0.001). Average systolic BP in the 20-hour (-3.4 mmHg, CI -5.9 to -0.9 mmHg; P=0.010) and awake (-4.0 mmHg, CI -6.4 to -1.6 mmHg; P=0.003) periods were lower following SSE-intensity session compared to control session. No differences were observed in average systolic BP during asleep period and diastolic BP during the 20-hour awake and asleep periods between the SSE-intensity session and control session (P>0.05).

Conclusion: An SSE-intensity session elicited a reduction in ambulatory systolic BP in inactive older women with hypertension during awake and 20-hour periods. Also, the SSE-intensity session was reported as light and pleasant.

Keywords: adherence; affect; blood pressure; elderly; physical activity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of the study. Abbreviation: ABPM, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Ambulatory BP monitoring hour-to-hour following the self-selected exercise-intensity (SSE) and control sessions in inactive older women with hypertension. Notes: (A, B) represent systolic and diastolic blood pressure responses, respectively. Values expressed as mean ± SD. *P<0.05 (difference from control session compared to the same period). Abbreviations: BP, blood pressure; SSE, self-selected exercise.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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