[24-hour blood pressure: effects of sports in aged subjects]

The present study deals with the blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) 24-h pattern in aged people of both sexes ranging in age from 66 to 75 years. 20 subjects were active in agonistic sports (running and swimming), 20 others had sedentary habits. BP and HR were studied by non-invasive monitoring along with chronobiometric analysis. The BP and HR 24-h pattern was seen to preserve its circadian rhythm in both aged athletes and sedentary elderly. The analysis reveals that the aged athletes show a higher mesor for systolic BP and a lower mesor for diastolic BP and HR. The daily pressure load, as the integral of the BP 24-h values multiplied by the HR mesor, is lower in aged people practising sport as compared to age-matched individuals with sedentary habits. The spectral analysis reveals that physical exercise acts to change the time structure of BP and HR 24-h patterns. The conclusion is drawn that active sport plays beneficial effects in aged people because of a lower pressure load.