The chronic effects of muscle-resistance training in arterial pressure of hypertensive older adults: a meta-analysis

Introduction: Little research has been done on the effects of muscle-resistance training (RT) in hypertensive older adults. Objective: The aim of this meta-analysis was to verify the efficacy of RT, on a chronic basis, on the systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of hypertensive older adults. Method: Several literature databases were explored to find studies on controlled and randomized trials that evaluated the effects of RT in hypertensive older adults for more than 10 weeks. Profile of the participants, sample size, intervention protocol, and results of SBP and DBP were analyzed. The PEDro scale and the Cochrane tool were used to analyze the methodological quality of the studies and the risk of bias, respectively. The RevMan5.3 program was used to analyze the results on the SBP and DBP after the RT intervention and in the control groups. Results: The meta-analysis of five studies considering 96 hypertensive individuals who underwent RT and 104 hypertensive control subjects showed that the regular practice of RT from 12 to 16 weeks, three times a week, with three sets from 8 to 12 repetitions at an intensity of 60% to 80% of one-repetition maximum (1-RM), significantly reduced SBP by 7.26 mmHg (95%CI = -9.16 - 5.37) and DBP by 4.84 mmHg (95%CI = -5.89 - 3.79). Conclusion: The muscle-resistance training was effective in reducing, chronically, the blood pressure of hypertensive older adults. It can also decrease the need for medication inherent to hypertension.