Physical exercise improves cardiac autonomic modulation in hypertensive patients independently of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor treatment

Author(s)

Cozza, Izabela C. ^[1] ; Di Sacco, Thaisa H. R. ^[1] ; Mazon, Jose H. ^[1] ; Salgado, Maria Cristina O. ^[2] ; Dutra, Sabrina G. V. ^[1] ; Cesarino, Evandro J. ^[1] ; Souza, Hugo C. D. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Biomech Med & Rehabil, Exercise Physiol Lab, BR-14049900 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Pharmacol, BR-14049900 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: HYPERTENSION RESEARCH; v. 35, n. 1, p. 82-87, JAN 2012.
• Web of Science Citations: 21

Abstract

We investigated the influence of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) treatment and physical exercise on arterial pressure (AP) and heart rate variability (HRV) in volunteer patients with hypertension. A total of 54 sedentary volunteers were divided into three groups: normotensive (NT Group), hypertensive (HT Group) and HT volunteers treated with ACEi (ACEi Group). All volunteers underwent an aerobic physical-training protocol for 15 weeks. HRV was investigated using a spectral analysis of a time series of R-R interval (RRi) that was obtained in a supine position and during a tilt test. Physical training promoted a significant reduction in the mean arterial pressure of the HT group (113 +/- 3 vs. 106 +/- 1 mm Hg) and the ACEi group (104 +/- 2 vs. 98 +/- 2 mm Hg). Spectral analysis of RRi in the supine position before physical training demonstrated that the NT and ACEi groups had similar values at low frequency (LF; 0.04-0.15 Hz) and high frequency (HF; 0.15-0.5 Hz) oscillations. The HT group had an increase in LF oscillations in absolute and normalized units and a decrease in HF oscillations in normalized units compared with the other groups. The HT group had the lowest responses to the tilt test during LF oscillations in normalized units. Physical training improved the autonomic modulation of the heart rate in the supine position only in the HT group. Physical training promoted a similar increase in autonomic modulation responses in the tilt test in all groups. Our findings show that aerobic physical training improves cardiac autonomic modulation in HT volunteers independently of ACEi treatment. Hypertension Research (2012) 35, 82-87; doi:10.1038/hr.2011.162; published online 29 September 2011 (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 08/07561-0 - Study of correlation of adaptations on cardiac autonomic modulation and metabolic parameters in women with polycystic ovary syndrome submitted to aerobic physical training
• Grantee: Hugo Celso Dutra de Souza
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants