[Swim therapy in elderly patients with essential hypertension treated with beta receptor blockers]

It is reported on the behaviour of blood pressure and heart rate at rest as well as on the peripheral microcirculation of the working musculature after physical conditioning in older patients with essential arterial hypertension (stage I and II). The patients with hypertension conditioned in 4 groups (twice a week swimming or once a week swimming and run each with and without propranolol) showed systolic and diastolic decrease of blood pressure with the exception of some patients. The heart rate at rest was significantly reduced only in the groups with swimming twice a week with and without beta-blockers. By means of the xenon-133-half-life period with the exception of the run-swimming group in all groups could be proved significant improvements of the peripheral microcirculation after the therapy, in contrast to the time before therapy. Value and limits of the training treatment described for the influence on the factor of risk arterial hypertension at old age are discussed.