title: Isometric handgrip does not elicit cardiovascular overload or post-exercise hypotension in hypertensive older women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Arterial hypertension is a serious health problem affecting mainly the elderly population. Recent studies have considered both aerobic and resistance exercises as a non-pharmacological aid for arterial hypertension treatment. However, the cardiovascular responses of the elderly to isometric resistance exercise (eg, isometric handgrip [IHG]) have not yet been documented.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate cardiovascular responses to different intensities of isometric exercise, as well as the occurrence of post-isometric exercise hypotension in hypertensive elderly people under antihypertensive medication treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve women volunteered to participate in the study after a maximal voluntary contraction test (MVC) and standardization of the intervention workload consisting of two sessions of IHG exercise performed in four sets of five contractions of a 10-second duration. Sessions were performed both at 30% of the MVC and 50% of the MVC, using a unilateral IHG protocol. Both intensities were compared with a control session without exercise. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at rest (R), during peak exercise (PE), and after 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes of post-exercise recovery were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant changes were observed after isometric exercise corresponding to 30% MVC for either SBP (R: 121 ± 10; PE: 127 ± 14; 5 min: 125 ± 13; 10 min: 123 ± 12; 15 min: 122 ± 11; 30 min: 124 ± 11; 45 min: 124 ± 10; 60 min: 121 ± 10 mmHg) or DBP (R: 74 ± 9; PE: 76 ± 6; 5 min: 74 ± 5; 10 min: 72 ± 8; 15 min: 72 ± 5; 30 min: 72 ± 8; 45 min: 73 ± 6; 60 min: 75 ± 7 mmHg). Similarly, the 50% MVC did not promote post-isometric exercise hypotension for either SBP (R: 120 ± 7; PE: 125 ± 11; 5 min: 120 ± 9; 10 min: 122 ± 9; 15 min: 121 ± 11; 30 min: 121 ± 9; 45 min: 121 ± 9; 60 min: 120 ± 7 mmHg) or DBP (R: 72 ± 8; PE: 78 ± 7; 5 min: 72 ± 7; 10 min: 72 ± 8; 15 min: 71 ± 7; 30 min: 72 ± 8; 45 min: 75 ± 10; 60 min: 75 ± 7 mmHg).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data reveal that cardiovascular overload or post-exercise hypotension did not occur in elderly women with controlled hypertension when they undertook an IHG session. Thus this type of resistance exercise, with mild to moderate intensity, with short time of contraction appears to be safe for this population.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Católica de Brasília, Distrito Federal, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafael dos Reis Vieira
authors.initials: Rdos R
authors.lastname: Olher
authors.forename: Danilo Sales
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bocalini
authors.forename: Reury Frank
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Bacurau
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Aylton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Figueira
authors.forename: Francisco Luciano
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Pontes
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: Herbert Gustavo
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.forename: Ronaldo Carvalho
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Araujo
authors.forename: Milton Rocha
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Moraes
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D057774:Post-Exercise Hypotension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055070:Resistance Training; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents
keywords: antihypertensive medication; cardiovascular response; elderly; hypertension; isometric exercise; resistance exercise