12-week Brisk Walking Improved Chronotropic Response in Hypertensive Patients

We investigated the effects of 12-week brisk walking on chronotropic response in hypertensive patients aged 40-69. 77 participants in exercise group underwent 12-week brisk walking, while 66 participants in control group received health education. Chronotropic parameters, resting blood pressure, and physical fitness including peak oxygen consumption (VO_2peak) were measured. After 12 weeks, the systolic blood pressure (SBP) was decreased (-6.104 mmHg, 95%CI -8.913 to -3.295 mmHg, P<0.0001), while metabolic chronotropic relationship (MCR) slope and VO_2peak were increased (0.073, 95%CI 0.001 to 0.145, P=0.046; 1.756 mL/kg/min, 95%CI 0.891 to 2.622 mL/kg/min, P<0.0001) in exercise group compared to baseline. The chronotropic response index (CRI) at 25-75 W load were decreased (-0.210, 95%CI -0.307 to -0.112, P<0.0001; -0.144, 95%CI - 0.204 to -0.083, P<0.0001; -0.078, 95%CI -0.135 to -0.022, P=0.007) in control group after 12 weeks. The relative changes (%Δ) of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were negatively correlated with %ΔVO_2peak (r=-0.233, r=-0.187), while %ΔMCR and %ΔCRI at 50-75 W load were positively correlated with %ΔVO_2peak after 12 weeks (r=0.330, r=0.282, r =0.370). %ΔSBP was also positively correlated with %ΔMCR (r =-0.213). In conclusion, 12-week brisk walking reduced SBP by improving chronotropic response in hypertensive patients aged 40-69. The enhanced chronotropic response was associated with enhanced cardiorespiratory fitness.