title: Cardiovascular risk reduction in sedentary postmenopausal women during organised physical activity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular (CV) diseases are a major cause of death in elderly women. Aerobic training improves component CV risk factors. Long-term, higher-intensity, group-based and home-based exercise training has been shown to improve exer-cise performance. However, it is not clear if short-term, group-based or home-based training with an educational programme permanently improves cardiometabolic parameters in elderly women.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of organised physical activity programmes dedicated to elderly, sedentary women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five sedentary women, aged > 55 years (mean 65.4 ± 7.3 years) were enrolled in a two-week group-based physical training programme of moderate intensity (2.5-5.0 METs) followed by three months of organised, home-based physical activity targeting all major muscle groups with special emphasis on postural muscles, combined with an educational programme about physical activity and CV risk. Eighteen months of self-guided physical activity was the final stage of training. Medical examination and blood samples were collected at baseline and after each step of exercises.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each step of training resulted in a reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.05), body mass index (p < 0.05), waist to hip ratio (p < 0.02), and low-density lipoprotein (p < 0.05) as compared to baseline. The time of exercise (p < 0.01), maximal tolerated load, and maximal oxygen consumption (p < 0.001) were significantly improved after two-weeks of training, as well as the high-density lipoprotein (p < 0.001). These changes remained significant after three months. Finally, the 10-year risk of fatal CV disease reduced significantly (p < 0.05). After 18 months 2/3 of subjects continued physical activity at a sufficient level to achieve additional health benefits according to the World Health Organisation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Organised, group-based exercise followed by home-based training and self-guided physical activities constantly improves cardiometabolic parameters and reduces CV risk.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mazurek
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Żmijewski
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kozdroń
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fojt
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Czajkowska
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szczypiorski
authors.affiliation: tmazurek@kardia.pl.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mazurek
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL
keywords: cardiovascular risk; exercise capacity; metabolic syndrome; physical activity; postmenopausal women