Effects of exercise training on plasma catecholamines and blood pressure in labile hypertensive subjects

Plasma catecholamine concentrations (norepinephrine, NE; epinephrine, E) were measured along with heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) at rest in supine (20 min) and standing (10 min) positions and in response to cycle ergometer exercise (5 min; 60% estimated maximal aerobic power) in 12 hypertensive patients before and after 20 weeks of aerobic training on cycle ergometer (six males, one female) or by jogging (five males). In a control group of labile hypertensive patients (five males, two females), estimated maximal aerobic power as well as HR and BP at rest in the supine and standing positions and in response to exercise were not modified from the first to the second evaluation (43 +/- 4 vs 43 +/- 5 ml.kg-1.min-1). In comparison estimated maximal aerobic power significantly increased in both training groups (cycle: 38 +/- 4 to 43 +/- 4; jogging: 38 +/- 3 to 46 +/- 4 ml.kg-1.min-1). However HR and BP were not modified following training, except for small reductions in systolic (18.9 to 18 kPa: 142 to 135 mmHg) and diastolic pressures (13.3 to 12 kPa: 100 to 90 mmHg) (p less than 0.05) at standing rest in the cycle group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)