Cardiorespiratory rehabilitation program induces additional benefits to hypertension patients: Evidence for improvement of the effort capacity

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the impact of an eight-week cardiorespiratory rehabilitation program on stabilizing blood pressure values and increasing the patients’ exercise capacity by comparing with other rehabilitation programs, such as hydrotherapy recovery, antihypertensive medication, and recommendations for a healthy life. Patients and methods: The prospective interventional pilot study was carried out with 100 patients (64 females, 36 males; mean age: 46±0.3 years; range, 30 to 60 years) diagnosed with hypertension between January 2023 and February 2023. The patients were divided into four homogeneous groups. An eight-week program was implemented. Group A benefited only from recommendations for a healthy lifestyle. Groups B, C, and D, in addition to the recommendations, benefited from pharmaceutical intervention. Additionally, group C participated in a cardiorespiratory rehabilitation program, and group D participated in a hydrotherapeutic program. Blood pressure values and effort capacity, with the six-minute walk test (6MWT), were registered for all the patients of the groups before the programs and after eight weeks of rehabilitation. Results: Intragroup comparison between baseline and final assessments revealed statistically significant differences for systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p=0.002, p<0.0001). Intergroup comparisons between baseline and postintervention revealed a significant increase in group A for DBP and a decrease for 6MWT (p=0.03, p=0.02). Group B registered a statistically significant decrease for SBP and an increase for 6MWT (p=0.3, p=0.007). Both groups C and D had significant improvements for SBP, DBP, and 6MWT (p<0.0001). Group C had better achievements for 6MWT (239.8±97.80 vs. 321.2±86.66). Group D had the best outcome for SBP and DBP (150.2±6.85 vs. 143.9±4.72, 94.24±2.48 vs. 90.60±2.08). Conclusion: Pharmaceutical treatment brings benefit to the patients. Addition of specialized recovery interventions, such as cardiorespiratory or hydrotherapy programs, increases patient’s resistance to effort and stabilizes blood pressure values.