Acute pressor response after isometric training session in adults with controlled hypertension
Cabezas-Gaete, Isaías; Donoso-Martínez, Nicolás; Norambuena-Meza, Sebastian; Russell-Guzmán, Javier; Espinoza-Salinas, Alexis
ABSTRACT
Introduction: hypertension is the main risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and has a high global prevalence. Its treatment includes physical activity, exercise, and lifestyle changes. Isometric handgrip strength training has shown significant long-term reductions in blood pressure. However, knowing its acute effect is key to understanding the immediate effects and efficacy, although it has been little studied.
Objective: to assess the blood pressure response after a single session of isometric resistance training in adults with hypertension and hypertension combined with insulin resistance.
Material and methods: thirty older adults from the More Self-Sufficient Older Adults program (MSROA) participated in Paine, Chile. They were divided into two groups: twenty with pure hypertension (G-HTN) and ten with hypertension and insulin resistance (G-HTN/IR). Both groups performed one session of four isometric contractions, each lasting two minutes at 30% of their maximum strength, with two-minute rest intervals between each contraction. Blood pressure was measured post-intervention for one hour and again after 24 hours.
Results: significant differences were found in systolic arterial pressure (SAP) between groups at minutes one and twenty, while diastolic arterial pressure (DAP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) showed no significant differences. Both groups showed reductions in SAP and MAP, with decreases of −8.21 mmHg (SAP) and −4.49 mmHg (MAP) in G-HTN, and −11.3 mmHg (SAP) and −1.43 mmHg (MAP) in G-HTN/IR.
Conclusion: isometric training reduces SAP and MAP. Although a transient increase in SAP is observed immediately after the intervention, this effect is followed by a significant reduction at 24 hours.
