Aerobic training restores arterial baroreflex sensitivity in older adults with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia.
OBJECTIVE
Lowered baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) predicts mortality and occurs with increasing age and diabetes. We examined whether aerobic exercise could restore arterial BRS in adults at high cardiovascular risk (diabetes, geriatric age group, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension).


METHODS
Randomized, controlled, single-blind study.


METHODS
VITALiTY (Vancouver Initiative to Add Life to Years) Research Laboratory.


METHODS
Thirty-nine older adults (mean age, 71.5 +/- 0.7 years) with diet-controlled or oral hypoglycemic-controlled type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia.


METHODS
Subjects were recruited to each of 2 groups: an aerobic group (3 months of vigorous aerobic exercise as defined by 80% to 85% of maximal heart rate), and a nonaerobic (no aerobic exercise) group. Exercise sessions were supervised by a certified exercise trainer 3 times per week.


METHODS
: Baroreflex function was assessed using the spontaneous baroreflex method. Main outcome measures included BRS, BRS(up), BRS(down), and [latin capital V with dot above]o(2)max.


RESULTS
The aerobic group demonstrated an increase in BRS that was not demonstrated in the nonaerobic group (+60.9 +/- 23.5 vs +2.2 +/- 7.9%; P = 0.010).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that a relatively short aerobic exercise intervention can reverse functional impairments of the arterial baroreflex function in older adults at high cardiovascular risk.
Madden
Kenneth M
KM
VITALiTY (Vancouver Initiative to Add Life to Years) Research Laboratory, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. kmmadden@interchange.ubc.ca
Lockhart
Chris
C
Potter
Tiffany F
TF
Cuff
Darcye
D
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D016037:Single-Blind Method