Acute Blood Pressure Response to Different Types of Isometric Exercise: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Cardiovascular Health
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Blood pressure (BP) responses to isometric exercises (IE) vary.
• Understanding these variations is crucial for exercise prescription and cardiovascular risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify blood pressure (BP) responses during different types of isometric exercises (IE) in adults.
• To evaluate if participant characteristics and exercise protocols influence BP responses to IE.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of 102 studies, with a meta-analysis of seven studies comparing handgrip IE to other IE.
• Searches conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Central, SPORTDiscus, and LILACS databases.
• Random effects models used for analysis with a 95% confidence interval and p < 0.05.

Main Results:

• Two-knee extension and deadlift exercises induced greater systolic and diastolic BP increases compared to handgrip.
• Systolic BP increased by +9.8 mmHg (p=0.017) and +26.8 mmHg (p<0.001) for two-knee extension and deadlift, respectively.
• Diastolic BP increased by +7.9 mmHg (p=0.022) and +12.4 mmHg (p<0.001) for two-knee extension and deadlift, respectively.
• Higher intensity protocols, male sex, middle-aged/elderly adults, and hypertensive individuals potentiated BP responses to handgrip IE (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• Isometric exercises engaging larger muscle groups lead to greater BP elevations than those involving smaller muscle groups.
• These effects are particularly pronounced in men, older adults, and individuals with hypertension.
• Further research is recommended to directly compare BP responses across diverse IE types and populations.