The effects of isometric handgrip exercise on post-exercise hypotension, ambulatory arterial blood pressure and heart rate variability in individuals medicated for hypertension

摘要

Isometric handgrip (IHG) training lowers resting blood pressure (BP) and improves heart rate variability (HRV) in hypertensives, yet neither the acute responses nor the effects of training on these responses are known. IHG training effects on 24-hr ambulatory BP have also yet to be examined. To address these voids, 11 hypertensive individuals (medicated) performed 4, 2-min IHG contractions at 30% MVC, 3x/wk for 8 wks, and 9 age-matched medicated hypertensives served as controls. At baseline, mid- and post-training, BP and HRV were assessed prior to and following acute IHG, with BP monitored for 22 hrs post-IHG. Resting and ambulatory BP were measured on a separate day. Acute nor chronic IHG exercise altered resting BP or HRV, and 24-hour ambulatory BP was unchanged with training (all P u3e 0.05). These findings suggest that IHG (acute and chronic) does not influence BP or HRV in our population of well-controlled medicated hypertensives.