Effects of Exercise on Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Men and Women
Author Information
Author(s): Scott R Collier, Vincent Frechette, Kathryn Sandberg, Patrick Schafer, Hong Ji, Harold Smulyan, Bo Fernhall
Primary Institution: Appalachian State University
Hypothesis
Women would show greater increases in blood flow and greater decreases in BP without concomitant increases in arterial stiffness.
Conclusion
Moderate-intensity resistance exercise training may be more favorable for women as a treatment option for hypertension due to greater decreases in diastolic BP and significant increases in blood flow without increases in arterial stiffness.
Supporting Evidence
- Men showed a significant increase in central pulse wave velocity following resistance exercise.
- Resistance exercise resulted in significantly greater increases in peak blood flow compared to aerobic exercise.
- Systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased more for women following resistance exercise compared to aerobic exercise.
Takeaway
This study found that both types of exercise can help lower blood pressure, but resistance exercise is especially good for women because it helps them lower their blood pressure more without making their arteries stiffer.
Methodology
40 moderately active participants were randomly divided into four groups and exercised at moderate intensity, 3 days/week for 4 weeks, with hemodynamic and vascular data collected before and after training.
Potential Biases
Potential selection bias due to the specific demographic of participants (age and health status).
Limitations
The study only included unmedicated individuals and may not generalize to those on medication or with other health conditions.
Participant Demographics
40 moderately active participants (20 men and 20 women) aged 40 to 60 years, all pre-hypertensive or stage 1 hypertensive.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.001 for central PWV, p=0.045 for SBP in men, p=0.04 for peak blood flow.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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