title: The antihypertensive effects of aerobic versus isometric handgrip resistance exercise.
abstract: Aerobic exercise reduces blood pressure (BP) on average 5-7 mmHg among those with hypertension; limited evidence suggests similar or even greater BP benefits may result from isometric handgrip (IHG) resistance exercise.
  
  
  
  We conducted a randomized controlled trial investigating the antihypertensive effects of an acute bout of aerobic compared with IHG exercise in the same individuals. Middle-aged adults (n = 27) with prehypertension and obesity randomly completed three experiments: aerobic (60% peak oxygen uptake, 30 min); IHG (30% maximum voluntary contraction, 4 × 2 min bilateral); and nonexercise control. Study participants were assessed for carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity pre and post exercise, and left the laboratory wearing an ambulatory BP monitor.
  
  
  
  SBP and DBP were lower after aerobic versus IHG (4.8 ± 1.8/3.1 ± 1.3 mmHg, P = 0.01/0.04) and control (5.6 ± 1.8/3.6 ± 1.3 mmHg, P = 0.02/0.04) over the awake hours, with no difference between IHG versus control (P = 0.80/0.83). Pulse wave velocity changes following acute exercise did not differ by modality (aerobic increased 0.01 ± 0.21 ms, IHG decreased 0.06 ± 0.15 ms, control increased 0.25 ± 0.17 ms, P > 0.05). A subset of participants then completed either 8 weeks of aerobic or IHG training. Awake SBP was lower after versus before aerobic training (7.6 ± 3.1 mmHg, P = 0.02), whereas sleep DBP was higher after IHG training (7.7 ± 2.3 mmHg, P = 0.02).
  
  
  
  Our findings did not support IHG as antihypertensive therapy but that aerobic exercise should continue to be recommended as the primary exercise modality for its immediate and sustained BP benefits.
authors.affiliation: aUniversity of Connecticut, Storrs bYale University, New Haven cHartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut, USA dUniversity of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro eSalgado de Oliveira University, Niteroi, Brazil fThe Ohio State University, Columbus gMiami University, Oxford, Ohio hInstitute for Systems Genomics, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.
authors.forename: Garrett I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Ash
authors.forename: Beth A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Hayley V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lamberti
authors.forename: Ming-Hui
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Farinatti
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Kraemer
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Panza
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Zaleski
authors.forename: Ved
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Deshpande
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Ballard
authors.forename: Mohammadtokir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mujtaba
authors.forename: C Michael
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Pescatello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003971:Diastole; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D058246:Prehypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D055070:Resistance Training; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D013599:Systole; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology