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Atenolol blunts blood pressure increase during dynamic resistance exercise in hypertensives

Ricardo S Gomides1, Luiz A R Costa, Dinoélia R Souza

  • 1Exercise Hemodynamic Laboratory, School of Physical Education and Sport Hypertension Unit, General Hospital, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
|November 3, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Atenolol effectively lowers blood pressure (BP) and reduces BP spikes during resistance exercise in hypertensive individuals. This beta-blocker helps manage BP during various exercise intensities.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Exercise Physiology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Hypertension management is crucial for cardiovascular health.
  • Resistance exercise can transiently increase blood pressure (BP).
  • Beta-blockers like atenolol are commonly used to treat hypertension.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of atenolol on BP levels during dynamic resistance exercise.
  • To determine if atenolol mitigates BP increases at different exercise intensities in hypertensive patients.

Main Methods:

  • Ten hypertensive patients (BP 140/90-160/105 mmHg) participated in a blinded study.
  • Participants underwent knee-extension exercises at 100%, 80%, and 40% of 1RM after 6 weeks of placebo or atenolol.
  • Intra-arterial radial BP was monitored throughout the exercise protocols.

Main Results:

  • Atenolol significantly reduced peak systolic BP during all three exercise intensities (P < 0.05).
  • The drug mitigated systolic BP increases during the initial set of exercises across intensities (P < 0.05).
  • Atenolol decreased diastolic BP and its exercise-induced rise at 100% 1RM (P < 0.05), but not at lower intensities.

Conclusions:

  • Atenolol demonstrates efficacy in lowering maximum systolic BP during resistance exercise.
  • The beta-blocker helps attenuate BP surges during dynamic resistance training in hypertensive individuals.
  • Atenolol's effects on diastolic BP during exercise were intensity-dependent.
Abstract

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