The influence of physical training status on postexercise hypotension in patients with hypertension: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: To date, few studies have analyzed postexercise hypotension (PEH) in hypertensive patients with different levels of physical fitness.

AIM: Therefore, this study aimed to compare PEH in trained and sedentary hypertensive individuals.

METHODS: Fifty-one well-controlled hypertensive patients of both sexes were assigned to a trained group [60.4±9.4 years; resting blood pressure (BP)=126.3±5.4/75.0±6.3 mmHg; VO2peak=27.3±4.6 ml kg/min] and 58 sedentary hypertensive patients of both sexes were assigned to a sedentary group (63.1±8.9 years; resting BP=134.1±4.2/82.9±5.8 mmHg; VO2peak=20.6±5.5 ml/kg/min). In a cross-sectional design, the individuals were randomized to perform an aerobic exercise session (treadmill; 40 min; 55% VO2peak) and a control session on two different days in the morning. After each session, participants wore an ambulatory BP device for 12 h.

RESULTS: Although no significant differences were identified in BP after the control session, after the experimental session, the trained participants presented lower values than the sedentary participants for systolic (124.1±6.3 vs. 133.4±5.2 mmHg, P<0.01) and diastolic BP (73.1±4.4 vs. 85.5±6.4 mmHg, P<0.01) over the course of 12 h monitoring. For the trained participants, significant correlations were also identified (P<0.05) between the VO2peak and systolic (R=-0.68) and diastolic BP (R=-0.61) 12 h monitoring.

CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the training level of hypertensive patients influences PEH.