title: The effect of exercise episode duration on blood pressure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect on blood pressure for 10-min compared with 40-min episodes of physical activity for 4 days.
  
  
  METHODS
  The design used a randomized crossover trial of two exercise episode durations, involving 17 subjects, which were performed in a university setting. The intervention was exercise on a stationary bicycle for four consecutive days, at 50% of maximal oxygen uptake (determined by heart rate), for episode durations of 10 or 40 min. A rest period of 10 days followed before exercise for the alternative duration was performed. The main outcome measure was blinded assessment of blood pressure 24 h after the last exercise episode.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant reductions were found in systolic and diastolic blood pressure after 4 days of 40 min but not after 4 days of 10 min stationary cycling. The reduction in blood pressure was significant for both systolic and diastolic blood pressure for 4 days of 40 min of exercise episodes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exercise of moderate intensity on a stationary bicycle for 10 min for 4 days is not effective in lowering blood pressure in comparison with the same exercise for 40 min for 4 days. The experimental design employed in the present study has potential for monitoring the effects of exercise on blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, School of Medicine, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Arroll
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sharpe
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beaglehole
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors