title: Effects of short-term heated water-based exercise training on systemic blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension: a pilot study.
abstract: High blood pressure (BP) increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and its control is a clinical challenge. Regular exercise lowers BP in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension. No data are available on the effects of heated water-based exercise in hypertensive patients. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of heated water-based exercise on BP in patients with resistant hypertension. We tested the effects of 60-min heated water-based exercise training three times per week in 16 patients with resistant hypertension (age 55±6 years). The protocol included walking and callisthenic exercises. All patients underwent 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) before and after a 2-week exercise program in a heated pool. Systolic office BP was reduced from 162 to 144 mmHg (P<0.004) after heated-water training. After the heated-water exercise training during 24-h ABPM, systolic BP decreased from 135 to 123 mmHg (P=0.02), diastolic BP decreased from 83 to 74 mmHg (P=0.001), daytime systolic BP decreased from 141 to 125 mmHg (P=0.02), diastolic BP decreased from 87 to 77 mmHg (P=0.009), night-time systolic BP decreased from 128 to 118 mmHg (P=0.06), and diastolic BP decreased from 77 to 69 mmHg (P=0.01). In addition, BP cardiovascular load was reduced significantly during the 24-h daytime and night-time period after the heated water-based exercise. Heated water-based exercise reduced office BP and 24-h daytime and night-time ABPM levels. These effects suggest that heated water-based exercise may have a potential as a new therapeutic approach to resistant hypertensive patients.
authors.affiliation: aHeart Institute (InCor), Clinics Hospital bUniversity Hospital, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Guilherme V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Lais G B
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Aline C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.forename: Egidio L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Dorea
authors.forename: Miguel M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fernandes-Silva
authors.forename: Edimar A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Bocchi
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D015444:Exercise; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water