title: Aftereffects of exercise and relaxation on blood pressure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the acute aftereffects of exercise and relaxation, performed alone and in combination, on blood pressure (BP) measured at baseline and during stressful conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical trial with comparison of groups and repeated measures in each group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Exercise Hemodynamic Laboratory, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen normotensive (NT) and 16 essential hypertensive (HT) subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four random experimental sessions: relaxation (RX-20 min); exercise [EX-cycle ergometer, 53 min, 50% peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak)]; exercise plus relaxation (EX+RX); and control (C-73 min rest). Measures were taken before and after interventions at baseline and during Stroop color test.
  
  
  METHODS
  Auscultatory and plesthysmographic BPs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Systolic and diastolic BPs decreased significantly after all the interventions. The decreases in both BPs were significantly greater after the EX+RX session, and were also greater in the HT (EX+RX session, -10+/-1/-7+/-1 and -15+/-2/-8+/-1 mm Hg for the NT and HT, respectively). During mental stress, systolic BP increased significantly and similarly after all the experimental sessions. Diastolic BP also increased significantly during stress; however, the increase was significantly greater after the RX session. At the end of the mental stress, diastolic BP was significantly lower after the EX (74+/-3 mm Hg) and EX+RX (72+/-3 mm Hg) sessions than after the C (79+/-3 mm Hg) and RX (78+/-3 mm Hg) sessions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In NT and HT subjects, a single bout of exercise or relaxation has hypotensive effects, further enhanced by their combination, and greater in the HT. Moreover, exercise performed alone or in combination with relaxation decreases systolic and diastolic BPs during mental stress.
authors.affiliation: Exercise Hemodynamic Laboratory, School of Physical Education and Sport, Hypertension Unit, General Hospital, Heart Institute (InCor), University of São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danilo Forghieri
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Santaella
authors.forename: Ellen Aparecida
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Kátia Coelho
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: Taís
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tinucci
authors.forename: Décio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mion
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Negrão
authors.forename: Cláudia Lúcia
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: de Moraes Forjaz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D012063:Relaxation / Q000502:physiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016683:Supine Position; D013997:Time Factors; D015013:Yoga