Physical Activity is Associated With Lower Arterial Stiffness in Patients With Resistant Hypertension

Physical activity is associated with reduced arterial stiffness, although such a relationship has not been reported in those with resistant hypertension. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the association between daily physical activity and arterial stiffness in patients with resistant hypertension.

Fifty-seven (57) patients with resistant hypertension (50.9% men), aged 58.8±9.4 years, were consecutively recruited. Arterial stiffness was evaluated using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV). Daily physical activity was objectively assessed with accelerometers during 7 consecutive days.

Patients had a body mass index of 29.0±4.0 kg/m² (84.3% overweight/obese) and were taking an average 4.5 antihypertensive medications. Overall, the cf-PWV was 9.2±2.4 m/s and the majority of participants (n=41, 71.9%) presented a cf-PWV <10 m/s. The cf-PWV showed an inverse correlation with light-intensity physical activity (r = -0.290, p=0.029) and total daily physical activity (r = -0.287, p=0.030). The correlation between light physical activity and cf-PWV remained significant after adjustment for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, but lost significance when further adjusted for age.

Higher daily levels of light-intensity and total physical activity were associated with lower arterial stiffness. Nonetheless, this association is weak and attenuated or abolished when adjusted for blood pressure and age. These results suggest that physical activity may play an important role as a lifestyle intervention for patients with resistant hypertension. Future studies with larger samples sizes are necessary to confirm this preliminary data.