title: High-intensity intermittent swimming improves cardiovascular health status for women with mild hypertension.
abstract: To test the hypothesis that high-intensity swim training improves cardiovascular health status in sedentary premenopausal women with mild hypertension, sixty-two women were randomized into high-intensity (n = 21; HIT), moderate-intensity (n = 21; MOD), and control groups (n = 20; CON). HIT performed 6-10 × 30 s all-out swimming interspersed by 2 min recovery and MOD swam continuously for 1 h at moderate intensity for a 15-week period completing in total 44 ± 1 and 43 ± 1 sessions, respectively. In CON, all measured variables were similar before and after the intervention period. Systolic BP decreased (P < 0.05) by 6 ± 1 and 4 ± 1 mmHg in HIT and MOD; respectively. Resting heart rate declined (P < 0.05) by 5 ± 1 bpm both in HIT and MOD, fat mass decreased (P < 0.05) by 1.1 ± 0.2 and 2.2 ± 0.3 kg, respectively, while the blood lipid profile was unaltered. In HIT and MOD, performance improved (P < 0.05) for a maximal 10 min swim (13 ± 3% and 22 ± 3%), interval swimming (23 ± 3% and 8 ± 3%), and Yo-Yo IE1 running performance (58 ± 5% and 45 ± 4%). In conclusion, high-intensity intermittent swimming is an effective training strategy to improve cardiovascular health and physical performance in sedentary women with mild hypertension. Adaptations are similar with high- and moderate-intensity training, despite markedly less total time spent and distance covered in the high-intensity group.
authors.affiliation: Sport and Health Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, St. Luke's Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter EX12LU, UK ; Department of Food and Nutrition, and Sport Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Magni
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohr
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Copenhagen Centre for Team Sport and Health, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Nikolai Baastrup
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Nordsborg
authors.affiliation: The Faroese Confederation of Sports and Olympic Committee, 100 Torshavn, Faroe Islands.
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lindenskov
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Natural and Health Sciences, University of the Faroe Islands, 100 Torshavn, Faroe Islands.
authors.forename: Hildigunn
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Steinholm
authors.affiliation: Southern Hospital, The Faroese Hospital System, Faroe Islands.
authors.forename: Hans Petur
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The Faroese National Hospital, 100 Torshavn, Faroe Islands ; Department of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine & PET, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mortensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital System, 100 Torshavn, Faroe Islands.
authors.forename: Pal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weihe
authors.affiliation: Sport and Health Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, St. Luke's Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter EX12LU, UK ; Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Copenhagen Centre for Team Sport and Health, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krustrup
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010807:Physical Endurance; D012146:Rest; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol