Influence of single bout of aerobic exercise on aortic pulse pressure

Regular aerobic exercise has come to the forefront of non-pharmacological treatment for hypertension. In this line, post-exercise hypotension may have a potential tool for efficient blood pressure management. However, less is known about the influence of acute aerobic exercise on aortic pulse pressure (PP), an important property underlying the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease. We tested the hypotheses that aortic PP would be attenuated with a single aerobic exercise and that its extent would be associated with the delayed return of reflected wave and the leg vasodilatory capacity.

In 23 apparent healthy men (22 ± 4 years), hemodynamic variables and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) were measured before and 20 and 50 min after a 60-min bout of cycling exercise at moderate intensity (corresponding to 65-75 % heart rate reserve). Aortic pressure was estimated from applanation tonometrically measured radial arterial pressure waveform via general transfer function. Peak calf vascular dilatory capacity was measured with the ischemic exercise-induced hyperemia (via venous occlusion plethysmography).

Finger, brachial, and aortic PP were significantly attenuated following the exercise. At 20 min after the exercise cessation, individual changes in aortic PWV significantly correlated with corresponding changes in aortic PP (r = 0.541, P < 0.05), but this correlation was no longer significant at 50 min after the exercise cessation. Peak calf vascular dilatory capacity was not associated with change in aortic PP.

We conclude that in young men the aortic PP would be attenuated with the moderate-intensity dynamic exercise partly due to the delayed return of reflection wave from periphery.