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Postexercise Hypotension Is Volume-Dependent in Hypertensives: Autonomic and Forearm Blood Responses
Aline de Freitas Brito1, Maria do Socorro Brasileiro-Santos2, Caio Victor Coutinho de Oliveira3
1Department of Methods and Teaching Techniques, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Brazil.
Insights
Higher volume resistance exercise (RE) in hypertensive women leads to greater postexercise hypotension (PEH). This effect is linked to increased forearm blood flow (FBF) and cardiac autonomic activity.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Cardiovascular Health
- Gerontology
Background:
- Hypertension is a prevalent condition in elderly individuals, increasing cardiovascular risk.
- Postexercise hypotension (PEH) is a beneficial phenomenon following exercise, but its determinants in hypertensive populations require further investigation.
- Resistance exercise (RE) is increasingly recognized for its cardiovascular benefits, yet optimal volume for PEH in older hypertensive adults is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of different resistance exercise (RE) volumes on postexercise hypotension (PEH).
- To assess the influence of varying RE volumes on forearm blood flow (FBF) and cardiac autonomic balance (LF/HF ratio) in hypertensive elderly women.
- To determine if PEH is volume-dependent in this specific demographic.
Main Methods:
- 16 hypertensive elderly women (age 55.5 ± 3 years) participated in three sessions: control, RE with one set (S1), and RE with three sets (S3).
- Blood pressure (BP), forearm blood flow (FBF), and cardiac autonomic balance (LF/HF) were measured pre-intervention and at 10, 30, 50, 70, and 90 minutes post-intervention.
- Both S1 and S3 involved 10 exercises with 10 repetitions, separated by 90-second rest intervals.
Main Results:
- Postexercise hypotension (systolic/diastolic BP reduction) was significantly greater following the three-set (S3) session compared to the one-set (S1) session (-26 ± 4/-14 ± 5 mm Hg vs. -18 ± 5/-8 ± 5 mm Hg, p ≤ 0.05).
- Forearm blood flow (FBF) and the LF/HF ratio, indicative of cardiac autonomic activity, increased in both RE sessions, with a more pronounced effect observed in the S3 session (FBF: 4.98 ± 0.32 vs. 4.36 ± 0.27 ml·min·100 ml; LF/HF: 1.69 ± 0.225 vs. 1.37 ± 0.13, p ≤ 0.05).
- These findings suggest a volume-dependent relationship between resistance exercise and the magnitude of postexercise hypotension.
Conclusions:
- A single resistance exercise session comprising three sets is more effective in promoting postexercise hypotension in hypertensive women compared to a single-set session.
- The enhanced postexercise hypotension observed with higher RE volume is associated with increased forearm blood flow and heightened cardiac autonomic activity.
- These results highlight the importance of exercise volume in modulating cardiovascular responses to resistance training in hypertensive elderly women.
Abstract:
de Freitas Brito, A, Brasileiro Santos, MdS, Coutinho de Oliveira, CV, and da Cruz Santos, A. Postexercise hypotension is volume-dependent in hypertensives: autonomic and forearm blood responses. J Strength Cond Res 33(1): 234-241, 2019-The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of 2 sessions of resistance exercise (RE) with different volumes on postexercise hypotension (PEH), forearm blood flow (FBF), and cardiac autonomic balance (LF/HF) in hypertensive elderly woman. The study was conducted with 16 hypertensive elderly (25.7 ± 3 kg·m², 55.5 ± 3 years) subjected to 3 experimental sessions, i.e., a control session, exercise with a set (S1), and exercise with 3 sets (S3). For each session, the subjects were evaluated before and after intervention. In the preintervention period, blood pressure (BP), FBF, and LF/HF were measured after 10 minutes of rest in the supine position. Thereafter, the subjects were taken to the gym to perform their exercise sessions or remained at rest during the same period. Both S1 and S3 comprised a set of ten repetitions of 10 exercises, with an interval of 90 seconds between exercises. Subsequently, the measurements were again performed at 10, 30, 50, 70, and 90 minutes of recovery (postintervention) in the supine position. Postexercise hypotension (systolic/diastolic) was greater in S3 than in S1 (-26 ± 4/-14 ± 5 mm Hg vs. -18 ± 5/-8 ± 5 mm Hg, p ≤ 0.05). Similarly, FBF and cardiac LF/HF increased in both sessions, being more evident in S3 than in S1 (4.98 ± 0.32 vs. 4.36 ± 0.27 ml·min·100 ml, p ≤ 0.05; and LF/HF = 1.69 ± 0.225 vs. 1.37 ± 0.13 p ≤ 0.05, respectively). We conclude that a single RE session with 3 series were able to promote higher PEH in hypertensive women, and this phenomenon was accompanied by increased FBF and increased cardiac autonomic activity.
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