Beneficial effects of physical exercise on hypertension and cardiovascular adverse remodeling of diet-induced obese rats.
OBJECTIVE
Obesity is present among all age groups and in all socioeconomic groups. This study on obese rats aims to quantify the beneficial effects of physical exercise on blood pressure (BP), the heart, the elasticity and resistance of arteries.


RESULTS
Obese male Wistar rats, (obesity due to a high fat diet with 30% fat), and non-obese rats, were assigned to four groups (n=5): sedentary obese; exercise-practice obese; sedentary control; and exercise-practice control (motor treadmill for 13 weeks). Their organs were studied through light microscopy and stereology. The diet-induced obesity caused mild hypertension with adverse cardiovascular changes. Physical exercise diminished the alterations associated with BP elevation and obesity. The pressure-lowering effect observed in obese rats submitted to physical exercise improved the myocardial vascularization and the aortic and the carotid wall structure by reducing the thickness and normalizing both the elastic lamellae and the smooth muscle cells. The adaptive response of the gluteus superficialis muscle to physical exercise also improved the peripheral resistance arteries of obese rats.


CONCLUSIONS
Current research supports the notion of physical exercise as a potential non-pharmacological antihypertensive treatment for diet-induced obesity hypertension.
Pinheiro
Alessandra Rocha
AR
Laboratory of Morphometry and Cardiovascular Morphology, Biomedical Center, Institute of Biology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Cunha
Ana Rosa
AR
Aguila
Marcia Barbosa
MB
Mandarim-de-Lacerda
Carlos Alberto
CA
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar