The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of strength training on oxidative stress and the correlation of the same with forearm vasodilatation and mean blood pressure of hypertensive elderly women, at rest (basal) and during a static handgrip exercise. Insufficiently active hypertensive elderly women (N = 25; mean age = 66.1 years) were randomized into a 10 week strength training group (n = 13) or control (n = 12) group. Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), plasma nitrite (NO2-), forearm blood flow (FBF), mean blood pressure (MBP) and vascular conductance ([FBF / MBP] x 100) were evaluated before and after the completion of the interventions. The strength training group increased the TAC (pre: Median = 39.0; Interquartile range = 34.0–41.5% vs post: Median = 44.0; Interquartile range = 38.0–51.5%; p = 0.006) and reduced the MDA (pre: 4.94 ± 1.10 μM vs post: 3.90 ± 1.35 μM; p = 0.025; CI-95%: -1.92 –-0.16 μM). The strength training group increased basal vascular conductance (VC) (pre: 3.56 ±0.88 units vs post: 5.21 ±1.28 units; p = 0.001; CI-95%: 0.93–2.38 units) and decreased basal MBP (pre: 93.1 ±6.3 mmHg vs post: 88.9 ±5.4 mmHg; p = 0.035; CI-95%: -8.0 –-0.4 mmHg). Such changes were also observed during static handgrip exercise. A moderate correlation was observed between changes in basal VC and MBP with changes in NO2- (ΔVC → r = -0.56, p = 0.047; ΔMBP → r = -0.41, p = 0.168) and MDA (ΔVC → r = 0.64, p = 0.019; ΔMBP → r = 0.31, p = 0.305). The strength training program reduced the oxidative stress of the hypertensive elderly women and this reduction was moderately correlated with their cardiovascular benefits.Trial Registration: ensaiosclinicos.gov.br RBR-48c29w
This study investigated the acute post-exercise effect of high-velocity
resistance exercise on ambulatory blood pressure in hypertensive older women.
Fourteen volunteers (67.9±5.1 years) performed a high-velocity
resistance exercise session (8 exercises using Thera-Band, 3 sets of 6
repetitions as fast as possible in the concentric phase with moderate intensity)
and a control session, separated by a 7–10-day period. Ambulatory blood
pressure was monitored following 12-h post-sessions and compared between
conditions at 1 to 4-h, 5 to 8-h, and 9 to 12-h. Average 24-h ambulatory blood
pressure, awake, asleep periods, and blood pressure load were also analyzed.
There was a condition by time interaction for systolic ambulatory blood pressure
over 12-h post-sessions (P=0.043). It was observed a lower systolic
ambulatory blood pressure in the first 4-h period following the high-velocity
resistance exercise session compared to the control session
(−6.7 mmHg, 95% CI − 11.6 to
−1.8 mmHg; P=0.011). No changes were observed for
diastolic ambulatory blood pressure over 12-h post-sessions as well as for the
other variables analyzed (P>0.05). In summary, a single high-velocity
resistance exercise session elicits a post-exercise antihypertensive effect and
may be considered as a strategy to acutely improve blood pressure control in
hypertensive older women.
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