Ethnic difference in the rate pressure product recovery to exercise response with African Canadian and South Asian cardiac patients

Background The rate pressure product (RPP) is a non-invasive assessment used to predict myocardial oxygen consumption and is defined as the product of heart rate and systolic blood pressure. Studies demonstrating its efficacy with exercise recovery have yielded positive outcomes. Unfortunately, many of the studies conducted are primarily within the European population. Given the lack of research and the difference in exercise responses to other ethnic groups, there is a need to evaluate the RPP in minorities. Objectives The study objectives were to 1) compare differences or similarities of low to moderate aerobic exercise to reduce blood pressure and HR in African Canadians and South Asians and 2) identify improvement in RPP values in the two groups. Methods One hundred sixty (80 African Canadians and 80 South Asians) with hypertension or related conditions were invited to participate in ten exercise sessions. All participants' blood pressure, heart rate, rate pressure product, pulse pressure, and mean arterial pressure were assessed. Results The study showed systolic blood pressure, and heart rate (< 0.05) but not the rate pressure product (p > 0.05) were significantly different between the two groups in pre and post-exercise conditions. While the exercise training improved participants' cardiac markers, the change between the groups was not significantly different. Conclusion Our findings align with other studies demonstrating exercise usefulness in lowering BP, but the RPP results were insignificant. The study also highlighted that a community-based exercise intervention could be helpful for specific populations, in this case, African Canadians and South Asians.