Water-based Exercise for Resistant Hypertension

Sustained effects of heated water-based exercise on blood pressure in resistant hypertension: 3-month follow-up from the Water-based exercise training trial

By Guilherme Veiga Guimaraes, Miguel Morita Fernandes-Silva, Lais Galvani de Barros Cruz, Aline Cristina Tavares, Rafael Ertner Castro, and Edimar Alcides Bocchi from the Laboratory of Physical Activity and Health – Heart Institute, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo; Emmanuel Gomes Ciolac from the Exercise and Chronic Disease Research Laboratory, Physical Education Department, School of Sciences, São Paulo State University – UNESP, Bauru, Brazil | October 2015

 

Background

Water-based exercise training has beneficial effects on blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension. However, most of the physiological adaptations reverse after exercise cessation. We sought to investigate whether the effect of Water-based exercise training on blood pressure persists after 12 weeks of detraining in patients with resistant hypertension.

 

Methods and Results

A previous randomized sample was re-evaluated (from the Water-based exercise training trial) that included 32 patients (16 in the Water-based exercise training group and 16 in the control group).

The Water-based exercise training group had participated in 36 sessions of 60 min each, in a heated pool (32 °C) for 12 weeks, followed by 12 weeks of detraining period. The control group was evaluated during the same period and instructed to maintain their habitual activities.

The current outcome was 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring for 12 weeks after the detraining period (24 weeks after randomization). Water-based exercise training group and control group had similar office and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring dimensions at baseline.

At the end of the detraining period, the Water-based exercise training group had lower ambulatory blood pressure monitoring measurements than the control group had for both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively:

  • Over 24 h (129.7 ± 5 vs 147.1 ± 7 mmHg, p = 0.03; and 75.6 ± 3 vs 83.3 ± 2, p = 0.03)
  • Daytime (130.8 ± 5 vs 152.1 ± 6 mmHg, p = 0.01, and 77.7 ± 3 vs 87.1 ± 2 mmHg, p = 0.03)
  • Nighttime (119.7 ± 4 vs 141.3 ± 6 mmHg, p = 0.009, and 68.5 ± 3 vs 77.0 ± 3 mmHg, p = 0.03)

The Water-based exercise training group had smaller differences compared with results during the training period (12 weeks after randomization).

 

Conclusion

In patients with resistant hypertension, the effects of Water-based exercise training on blood pressure persisted 12 weeks after cessation, although they declined over time.

 

Reference: