Post-Exercise Hypotension in Elderly Hypertensive Men
Condition: Hypertension
MeSH terms: Post-Exercise Hypotension; Hypertension
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of two exercise protocols on
      post-exercise blood pressure versus a control group in elderly hypertensive men. Participants
      are allocated to all groups: control group and two experimental exercise protocols, in a
      random order. In the control group, participants remain resting sitting, and, in the exercise
      protocols, participants practice exercise bouts of aerobic exercise or a combination of
      resistance and aerobic exercises. In order to standardize baseline conditions, before the
      sessions subjects remain sitting quietly for 20 minutes. After each exercise protocol,
      participants have 60 minutes for recovery and, simultaneously, they have BP measured every 5
      minutes. After the exercise sessions or control, an equipment for 24 hours ambulatory BP
      monitoring is installed in every participant.
    

Detailed description: 
      Hypertension has high prevalence and low rate of control, and is a major modifiable risk
      factor and public health problem. Regular physical exercise is a relevant non-pharmacological
      option for prevention and treatment of hypertension. Several studies demonstrated a reduction
      in blood pressure (BP) following different exercise protocols, and the decrease may be the
      result of the summation of hypotensive effects that occur in the hours following the workout.
      The reduction resulting from a single exercise session is called post-exercise hypotension
      (PEH) and has been investigated among hypertensive subjects. However, to achieve clinical
      relevance the PEH should reach a significant magnitude and the reduction should be sustained
      for a longer period.

      Previous studies showed the positive effects of aerobic exercise on post-exercise hypotension
      in hypertensive subjects. However, there is lacking evidence regarding the effects of a
      single session of aerobic and resistance exercise combined, and the duration of its effect in
      24 hours blood pressure in elderly hypertensive subjects.

      The study is an open, crossover randomized clinical trial, with elderly men allocated to
      three arms, in a random order:

        -  Aerobic training session

        -  Combined resistance training and aerobic session

        -  Control session

      After each exercise session, participants have 60 minutes for recovery, performed in the
      sitting position, with BP measurements every 5 minutes. In addition, participants have
      measured BP using 24h ambulatory BP monitoring. At the end of the trial, participants will
      have completed all three experimental protocols: a non-exercise control session, of sitting
      rest, and two exercise bouts, one of aerobic exercise and a combined resistance and aerobic
      exercise, with seven days of washout period among sessions. All experiments will be conducted
      at the same time of day to account for diurnal BP variation. Before the experimental
      sessions, participants are enrolled in three pre-intervention tests: a familiarization
      session, cardiopulmonary exercise testing and one maximum repetition strength test (1RM). The
      aerobic sessions last for 45 minutes, as well as the resistance exercises, and the session of
      control.
    

Intervention name(s): Aerobic exercise; Combined exercises; Control
Intervention type(s): Other; Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Aerobic exercise on treadmill; Combined resistance and aerobic exercise; 45 minutes resting sitting
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Hypertension; Bloodpressure; Post-exercise hypotension; Combined exercise; Aerobic exercise; Resistance exercise; Aging; Elderly; Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring