Progressive resistance exercise reduced resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure by approximately 2% and 4% (mean -3 mm Hg for both; 95% CI -4 to -1) in adults.
Meta-Analysis
Does progressive resistance exercise reduce resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adult humans?
Progressive resistance exercise significantly reduces resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adults, supporting its use as a nonpharmacological intervention.
Effect estimate: Mean change -3 mm Hg (systolic and diastolic) (95% CI -4 to -1)
Hypertension is a major public health problem affecting an estimated 43 million civilian, noninstitutionalized adults in the United States (24% of this population). The purpose of this study was to use the meta-analytic approach to examine the effects of progressive resistance exercise on resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adult humans. Studies were retrieved via (1) computerized literature searches, (2) cross-referencing from original and review articles, and (3) review of the reference list by 2 experts on exercise and blood pressure. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) trials that included a randomized nonexercise control group; (2) progressive resistance exercise as the only intervention; (3) adult humans; (4) journal articles, dissertations, and masters theses published in the English-language literature; (5) studies published and indexed between January 1966 and December 1998; (6) resting systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure assessed; and (7) training studies lasting a minimum of 4 weeks. Across all designs and categories, fixed-effects modeling yielded decreases of approximately 2% and 4% for resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively (mean+/-SD systolic, -3+/-3 mm Hg; 95% bootstrap CI, -4 to -1 mm Hg; mean+/-SD diastolic, -3+/-2 mm Hg; 95% bootstrap CI, -4 to -1 mm Hg). It was concluded that progressive resistance exercise is efficacious for reducing resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adults. However, a need exists for additional studies that limit enrollment to hypertensive subjects as well as analysis of data with an intention-to-treat approach before the effectiveness of progressive resistance exercise as a nonpharmacological intervention can be determined.
Kelley et al. (Wed,) conducted a meta-analysis in Hypertension. Progressive resistance exercise vs. Nonexercise control group was evaluated on Resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure (Mean change -3 mm Hg (systolic and diastolic), 95% CI -4 to -1). Progressive resistance exercise reduced resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure by approximately 2% and 4% (mean -3 mm Hg for both; 95% CI -4 to -1) in adults.