Impact of Aerobic Exercise on Blood Pressure

Abstract

Nearly half of American adults have hypertension, the most significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. With 60% of hypertensive individuals also having high cholesterol, it is of interest whether an exercise prescription can successfully manage both conditions and to examine the impact of atorvastatin medication on blood pressure. In this study, obese, sedentary participants are recruited with the requirement of a >5% risk for cardiovascular events within the next 10 years or having 2 out of the 5 metabolic risk factors. Participants follow a 12-week exercise prescription designed for high cholesterol consisting of 5 aerobic exercise sessions a week, each 45 minutes long at a 60-75% heart rate reserve. The baseline and post-intervention blood pressure readings of participants were analyzed to determine whether this exercise prescription can also help manage hypertension. Major findings include that an exercise prescription following the guidelines for high cholesterol also elicited reductions in resting, peak exercise, and recovery blood pressure. The greatest reductions were seen in individuals with >80% compliance in attendance and those with baseline untreated hypertension stage I or II. Atorvastatin medication does not appear to impact blood pressure response to exercise when the participant is already on blood pressure medication. However, in participants that are not on blood pressure medication, atorvastatin treatment elicited greater blood pressure reductions compared to the placebo. Further research is needed to determine whether the addition of resistance exercise, which is recommended by the ACSM for hypertension, would elicit further reductions in blood pressure.