1. Effect of endurance training on blood pressure regulation, biomarkers and the heart in subjects at a higher age
- Author
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André Aubert, Véronique Cornelissen, Jozef Arnout, Frank Rademakers, Brigitte Verheyden, Kaatje Goetschalckx, Robert Fagard, and Alexandre Persu
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,business.industry ,Hemodynamics ,Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation ,Stroke volume ,Plasma renin activity ,Blood pressure ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Endocrinology ,Endurance training ,Internal medicine ,Heart rate ,Vascular resistance ,medicine ,Orthopedics and Sports Medicine ,business ,Blood sampling - Abstract
We reported previously that two otherwise identical training programs at lower (LI) and higher intensity (HI) similarly reduced resting systolic blood pressure (BP) by approximately 4-6 mmHg. Here, we determined the effects of both programs on BP-regulating mechanisms, on biomarkers of systemic inflammation and prothrombotic state and on the heart. In this cross-over study (3 × 10 weeks), healthy participants exercised three times 1 h/week at, respectively, 33% and 66% of the heart rate (HR) reserve, in a random order, with a sedentary period in between. Measurements, performed at baseline and at the end of each period, involved blood sampling, HR variability, systolic BP variability (SBPV) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Thirty-nine participants (18 men; mean age 59 years) completed the study. Responses were not different between both programs (P>0.05). Pooled data from LI and HI showed a reduction in HR (-4.3 ± 8.1%) and an increase in stroke volume (+11 ± 23.1%). No significant effect was seen on SBPV, plasma renin activity, basal nitric oxide and left ventricular mass. Our results suggest that the BP reduction observed appears to be due to a decrease in systemic vascular resistance; training intensity does not significantly affect the results on mechanisms, biomarkers and the heart.
- Published
- 2010