Improved arterial stiffness after combined aerobic and resistance training: correlation with heart rate variability change in prehypertensive offspring of hypertensive parents

Prehypertensive offspring of hypertensive parents are strongly linked to pathological processes of hypertension in later life. It is observed that young adults with high blood pressure (BP) have increased arterial stiffness, which is linked to autonomic anomalies. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of combined resistance and aerobic exercise training on BP, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and heart rate variability (HRV) in prehypertensive young men with hypertensive parents. Thirty prehypertensive males aged 19.6 ± 1.2 years were randomly assigned to either a combined exercise training group (CBT, n = 15) or no exercise group (CON, n = 15). The CBT group performed combined exercise for 8 weeks, 3 times per week. BP, baPWV, HRV, peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), and muscle strength were measured before and after the exercise intervention. Systolic BP (-5.1 mmHg, 3.9% decrease, P < 0.05), diastolic BP (-3.9 mmHg, 6.1% decrease, P < 0.01), mean arterial pressure (-4.2 mmHg, 4.7% decrease, P < 0.05), baPWV (-0.4 m/sec, 3.5% decrease, P < 0.01), standard deviation of all RR intervals (+58.5% increase, P < 0.05) and very low frequency (VLF) (+34.6% increase, P < 0.01), VO2peak (+11.7% increase, P < 0.01) and one-repetition maximum leg press (+30.3% increase, P < 0.01) were significantly improved in the CBT group after 8 weeks of training versus the CON group. Additionally, a reduction in baPWV was associated with an increase in the VLF power of HRV (r= 0.72, P < 0.01). These findings indicate that the combined training improves BP, arterial stiffness, vagal activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and lower-body muscle strength in prehypertensive offspring of hypertensive parents.