Blood pressure and hormonal responses to aerobic exercise.

Abstract

Twelve patients with essential hypertension (WHO stages I-II) were subjected to mild aerobic exercise for 10 to 20 weeks. The time course of changes in the resting blood pressure and multiple hormonal responses (plasma catecholamines, prostaglandin E, renin-angiotensin system, kallikrein-bradykinin system) were monitored. Depressor response of both systolic and diastolic pressures was seen, and after 5 weeks of exercise blood pressure stabilized at a significantly lower level. Adjustment of work load in response to increased physical fitness at the 10th week produced further reduction of blood pressure especially in diastole. After exercise therapy we found significant reductions in plasma catecholamine levels, and increases in levels of plasma prostaglandin E and the urinary excretion of sodium. A reduction in systolic/diastolic (mean) pressures by more than 20/10 (13) mm Hg was seen in 50% of patients after 10 weeks and in 78% after 20 weeks of exercise. Those who achieved effective blood pressure fall after 10 weeks of training (n = 6) were compared with the rest (n = 6). This analysis revealed that the initial value of plasma renin activity of the former was significantly lower than that of the latter. Significant negative correlations (r = -0.78) also were observed between the blood pressure reduction and corresponding initial value of plasma renin activity. These results indicate that exercise therapy is a potent nonpharmacological tool for the treatment of essential hypertension, especially of the low renin type. Both diminished sympathoadrenergic activity and enhancement of prostaglandin mechanisms might be responsible for the falls in arterial pressure.

Antihypertensive and volume-depleting effects of mild exercise on essential hypertension.

“…Determination of the mechanism of depressor effects that occur in the exercise training has been given little attention, except for a recent report by Jennings et al 21 In our previous work, we pointed out a significant reduction in plasma catecholamine concentrations and increased plasma levels of prostaglandin E. 9 ' l0 We also reported that subjects with low renin hypertension responded better to exercise training (correlation coefficient, 0.78) 10 than did subjects with other types of hypertension. In the present study, the correlation coefficient between logarithm of the initial plasma renin activity and the change in systolic blood pressure was 0.51.…”

“…It may be that the number of subjects was too few, the exercise intensity too mild, and the duration of exercise too short to evidence a bradycardia. As we reported, 10 20 weeks was required to see any significant reduction in the resting heart rate by the same protocol of mild exercise training.…”

“…9 ' l0 In addition, we found a significant positive correlation between changes in mean blood pressure and the initial levels of plasma renin activity. 9 ' 10 These observations suggest that volume depletion is linked to the antihypertensive effect. The present study was undertaken in an attempt to confirm the depressor effects of exercise, in comparison with data on well-matched nonexercised hypertensive controls, and to analyze changes in hemodynamics, with special reference to blood volume and humoral factors.…”

“…10 Graded exercise tests were administered between 0900 and 1300 in an air-conditioned room. With subjects in the sitting position, the initial workload was 0 W for 4 minutes, and the workload was increased by 10 or 15 W every 4 minutes, depending on their physical fitness, until exhaustion set in.…”

Race specific altitude effects on blood pressure

“…sity can reduce resting sympathetic tone 15 leading to a reduction in BP. 16 The climb on Kilimanjaro represented an endurance exercise of moderate inten-…”