Postexercise blood pressure reduction in elderly hypertensive patients.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to study: 1) the impact of hemodynamic and left ventricular function on short-term postexercise blood pressure reduction in elderly hypertensive patients; and 2) the 22-h postexercise effects on ambulatory blood pressure in elderly hypertensive patients.


BACKGROUND
Although early exercise provokes postexercise blood pressure reduction, the mechanisms underlying this response are not completely understood. Besides, it is unclear whether the reduction in blood pressure after exercise lasts long enough to have clinical relevance in elderly hypertensive patients.


METHODS
We studied 24 elderly hypertensive patients (age 68.9 +/- 1.5 years) and 18 age-matched normotensive control subjects (age 68.1 +/- 1.2 years). Cardiac output (carbon dioxide rebreathing) and blood pressure (auscultatory) were measured at rest and after a 45-min period of low-intensity bicycle exercise (50% maximal oxygen uptake) and at 15, 30, 60 and 90 min after exercise. Left ventricular function (by Doppler echocardiography) was also evaluated. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was evaluated after 45 min of exercise or 45 min of rest, in a randomized order.


RESULTS
In the hypertensive patients, exercise provoked a significant reduction in blood pressure, cardiac output, stroke volume and left ventricular end-diastolic volume. It also provoked a significant reduction in systolic, mean and diastolic blood pressure during a 22-h period, at daytime and nighttime.


CONCLUSIONS
The short-term reduction in blood pressure after exercise in elderly hypertensive patients is associated with a decrease in stroke volume and left ventricular end-diastolic volume. The 22-h postexercise reduction in blood pressure demonstrates the clinical relevance of low-intensity exercise in elderly hypertensive patients.
Brandão Rondon
Maria Urbana P
MU
Unit of Cardiovascular Rehabilitation and Exercise Physiology, Heart Institute (InCor), University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil.
Alves
Maria Janieire N N
MJ
Braga
Ana Maria F W
AM
Teixeira
Odila Tomoko U N
OT
Barretto
Antonio Carlos P
AC
Krieger
Eduardo M
EM
Negrão
Carlos Eduardo
CE
D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*