The data demonstrate that long-term aerobic exercise is associated with a decrease in BP at rest and during exercise, which is comparable to that of drug therapies. This antihypertensive effect of regular training can be maintained as long as 3 yr.

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We studied 11 healthy untrained volunteers (aged 28.9 +/- 4.6 years) during 60 minutes of aerobic ergometric exercise with constant heart rates of 130 to 140 beats/minute. We found a continuous and significant decrease in systolic and diastolic pressure from 175 +/- 18/77 +/- 7 mmHg in the 5th minute to 144 +/- 14/68 +/- 6 mmHg in the 60th minute of exercise. Cardiac function and structure were assessed by M-mode echocardiography before exercise, after 5 minutes and after 60 minutes of exercise at comparable heart rates. The results demonstrated significant decreases in cardiac output, ejection fraction, and diastolic posterior wall velocity and an increase in total peripheral resistance after 60 minutes of exercise. We conclude that the decrease in blood pressure during long-term aerobic exercise in healthy untrained subjects might be at least influenced by a decrease in left ventricular filling and contractility, possibly indicating cardiac fatigue.

The present study suggests that acute endurance exercise leads not only to decreased BP but even more reduces aPWV as a measure of AS even after 60 minutes of recovery. In particular, the investigation provides evidence that acute moderate-intensity exercise has a favorable effect on BP and aPWV during stress testing.

Exergames may offer novel opportunities to expand physical activity. Most games, however, only result in low to moderate-intensity activities that are too low to allow relevant physical adjustments. In the present study, the exercise intensity of a new, heart rate controlled, functional fitness game was assessed. 28 subjects (aged 24.8±3.8 yrs; 46% female; BMI 23.2±2.3 kg/m2) were enrolled in this study. VO2max and maximal heart rate (HRmax) were assessed during a maximal graded exercise test on a treadmill and compared with the oxygen consumption (VO2) and heart rate (HR) during a game in the ExerCube.In the ExerCube, the subjects reached a peak HR of 187.43±9.22 bpm, which corresponds to 96.57±3.64% of their HRmax. The mean HR throughout the game was 167.11±10.94 bpm, corresponding to 86.07±4.33% of HRmax. VO2peak reached 41.57±5.09 ml/kg/min during the game in the ExerCube, which corresponds to 84.75±7.52% of VO2max. The mean VO2 consumption during the game reached 32.39±4.04 ml/kg/min, which corresponds to 66.01±5.09% of VO2max. The ExerCube provides a form of vigorous physical exercise. Due to its playful, immersive, and motivating nature, the ExerCube seems to be a promising tool to facilitate physical activity.

Summary:Background: Regular physical activity is known to reduce arterial pressure (BP). In a previous investigation, we could prove that even a single bout of moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) causes a prolonged reduction in BP. Whether high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has a favourable infl uence on BP, and therefore may be followed subjects and methods by a prolonged BP reduction, should be examined on the basis of blood pressure response after exercise and during a subsequent stress test. Patients and methods: In 39 healthy men (aged 34 ± 8 years, BMI 24 ± 2), peripheral and central BP were measured noninvasively at rest and at the end of a 2-min cold pressor test (CPT) using a Mobil-O-Graph (24 PWA monitor, IEM). Following HIIT (6 x 1 min at 98% of the previously determined maximum wattage, 4-min rest between intervals) BP was measured again throughout 60 min of rest and thereafter during a CPT. The results were compared with those obtained before HIIT. Results: Similar to MICE, peripheral and central BPs were signifi cantly (p < 0.05) lower 45 min after HIIT. When analysing peripheral BP during a CPT before and after exercise, signifi cantly lower systolic (p < 0.001) and diastolic (p = 0.008) pressures were established after HIIT. This was true for systolic (p = 0.002) and diastolic (p = 0.006) central BP as well. Although there were no more signifi cant differences between pressures at rest before and 60 min after exercise, the increase in peripheral systolic pressure due to CPT was signifi cantly slower after HIIT (p = 0.019) when compared with BP during CPT before exercise. This was true for central systolic BP as well (p = 0.017). Conclusion: HIIT leads to a BP reduction, which can still be detected up to 45 min after completion of the training. Even 60 min after exercise, pressures during a CPT showed a reduced augmentation, indicating an attenuated hemodynamic response to stress testing after HIIT.

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