Key result
Stepping exercise lowers SBP by ~13 mmHg vs lifestyle advice in older hypertensive women.
Why the study?
Hypertension is common in older adults, and the effects of stepping exercise on blood pressure, physical performance, and quality of life in stage 1 hypertension needed evaluation.
Does stepping exercise reduce blood pressure in female older adults with stage 1 hypertension?
RCT (n=34)
Open-label
Sealed envelopes
No
Does stepping exercise reduce blood pressure in female older adults with stage 1 hypertension?
An eight-week moderate-intensity stepping exercise program significantly reduces blood pressure and improves physical performance in older women with stage 1 hypertension.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Stepping exercise lowers BP and boosts physical performance in older women with stage 1 hypertension; extends prior benefits from healthy adults to this population.
Background Hypertension is a common disease, particularly in older adults. In a previous study, we found that an eight-week course of stepping exercise improved physical performance in healthy older adults as measured using the six-minute walk test (468 vs. 426 m in controls; p = .01). This study aims to further evaluate the effects of stepping exercise on blood pressure, physical performance, and quality of life in older adults with stage 1 hypertension. Methods This was a randomized, controlled trial comparing older adults with stage 1 hypertension who performed stepping exercise with controls. The stepping exercise (SE) was performed at moderate intensity three times/week over an eight-week period. Participants in the control group (CG) received verbal and written (pamphlet) lifestyle modification advice. Blood pressure at Week 8 was the primary outcome, while quality of life score and physical performance on the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), timed up and go test (TUGT), and five times sit to stand test (FTSST) were secondary outcomes. Results There were 17 female patients in each group (total of 34). After eight weeks of training, participants in the SE group showed significant improvements in systolic blood pressure (SBP; 132.0 vs. 145.1 mmHg; p<.01), diastolic blood pressure (DBP; 67.3 vs. 87.6 mmHg; p<.01), 6MWT (465.6 vs. 437.0; p<.01), TUGT (8.1 vs. 9.2 sec; p<.01), and FTSST (7.9 vs. 9.1 sec; p<.01) compared to controls. Regarding within-group comparison, participants in the SE also showed significant improvement in all outcomes from baseline, while any such outcomes in the CG were comparable from baseline (SBP: 144.1 to 145.1 mmHg; p = .23; DBP: 84.3 to 87.6 mmHg; p = .90). Conclusions The stepping exercise examined is an effective non-pharmacological intervention for blood pressure control in female older adults with stage 1 hypertension. This exercise also resulted in improvements in physical performance and quality of life.
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Sarinukul et al. (2023) conducted an RCT in Stage 1 hypertension (n=34). Stepping exercise vs. Lifestyle modification advice was evaluated on Systolic blood pressure at 8 weeks (MD -13.1, 95% CI -17.6 to -8.6, p=<0.01). An eight-week stepping exercise program reduced systolic blood pressure by a mean difference of 13.1 mmHg compared to lifestyle advice in female older adults with stage 1 hypertension.
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