title: Sedentary Behavior and Light Physical Activity Are Associated with Brachial and Central Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical activity is recommended as a part of a comprehensive lifestyle approach in the treatment of hypertension, but there is a lack of data about the relationship between different intensities of physical activity and cardiovascular parameters in hypertensive patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the time spent in physical activities of different intensities and blood pressure levels, arterial stiffness and autonomic modulation in hypertensive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, 87 hypertensive patients (57.5 ± 9.9 years of age) had their physical activity assessed over a 7 day period using an accelerometer and the time spent in sedentary activities, light physical activities, moderate physical activities and moderate-to-vigorous physical activities was obtained. The primary outcomes were brachial and central blood pressure. Arterial stiffness parameters (augmentation index and pulse wave velocity) and cardiac autonomic modulation (sympathetic and parasympathetic modulation in the heart) were also obtained as secondary outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sedentary activities and light physical activities were positively and inversely associated, respectively, with brachial systolic (r = 0.56; P < 0.01), central systolic (r = 0.51; P < 0.05), brachial diastolic (r = 0.45; P < 0.01) and central diastolic (r = 0.42; P < 0.05) blood pressures, after adjustment for sex, age, trunk fat, number of antihypertensive drugs, accelerometer wear time and moderate-to-vigorous physical activities. Arterial stiffness parameters and cardiac autonomic modulation were not associated with the time spent in sedentary activities and in light physical activities (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lower time spent in sedentary activities and higher time spent in light physical activities are associated with lower blood pressure, without affecting arterial stiffness and cardiac autonomic modulation in hypertensive patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gerage
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tania R B
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Benedetti
authors.affiliation: Superior School of Physical Education, University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Breno Q
authors.initials: BQ
authors.lastname: Farah
authors.affiliation: Superior School of Physical Education, University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fábio da S
authors.initials: Fda S
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.affiliation: Metabolism, Nutrition and Exercise Research Group, Londrina State University, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ohara
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Sciences and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.|Sogn and Fjordane University College, Sogndal, Norway.
authors.forename: Lars B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.affiliation: Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raphael M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ritti-Dias
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology