Aerobic and concurrent exercise significantly reduced central aortic pressure and augmentation index in men with stage-1 hypertension, whereas resistance exercise only reduced central aortic pressure.
RCT (n=15)
Open-label
Counterbalanced alternate order
No
Does acute aerobic, resistance, or concurrent exercise improve pulse wave reflection and autonomic modulation in men with stage-1 hypertension?
Acute aerobic and concurrent exercise, but not resistance exercise alone, effectively reduce pulse wave reflection in men with stage-1 hypertension.
Mean Difference: -7.6
p-value: p=0.002
Abstract The acute effects of exercise modes on pulse wave reflection (PWR) and their relationship with autonomic control remain undefined, particularly in individuals with elevated blood pressure (BP). We compared PWR and autonomic modulation after acute aerobic (AE), resistance (RE), and concurrent exercise (CE) in 15 men with stage-1 hypertension (mean ± SE: 34.7 ± 2.5 years, 28.4 ± 0.6 kg/m 2 , 133 ± 1/82 ± 2 mmHg). Participants underwent AE, RE, and CE on different days in counterbalanced order. Applanation tonometry and heart rate variability assessments were performed before and 30-min postexercise. Aortic pressure decreased after AE (− 2.4 ± 0.7 mmHg; P = 0.01), RE (− 2.2 ± 0.6 mmHg; P = 0.03), and CE (− 3.1 ± 0.5 mmHg; P = 0.003). Augmentation index remained stable after RE, but lowered after AE (− 5.1 ± 1.7%; P = 0.03) and CE (− 7.6 ± 2.4% P = 0.002). Systolic BP reduction occurred after CE (− 5.3 ± 1.9 mmHg). RR-intervals and parasympathetic modulation lowered after all conditions (~ 30–40%; P < 0.05), while the sympathovagal balance increased after RE (1.2 ± 0.3–1.3 ± 0.3 n.u., P < 0.05). Changes in PWR correlated inversely with sympathetic and directly with vagal modulation in CE. In conclusion, AE, RE, and CE lowered central aortic pressure, but only AE and CE reduced PWR. Overall, those reductions related to decreased parasympathetic and increased sympathetic outflows. Autonomic fluctuations seemed to represent more a consequence than a cause of reduced PWR.
Farinatti et al. (2021) conducted an RCT in Stage-1 hypertension (n=15). Aerobic, resistance, and concurrent exercise vs. Pre-exercise baseline was evaluated on Augmentation index (AIx) after concurrent exercise (MD -7.6%, p=0.002). Aerobic and concurrent exercise significantly reduced central aortic pressure and augmentation index in men with stage-1 hypertension, whereas resistance exercise only reduced central aortic pressure.