Efficiency of two sessions of jogging per week for the reduction of the blood pressure in previously sedentary elderly hypertensive women

• Published in: Fitness & performance journal Vol. 7; no. 3; pp. 169 - 174
• Main Authors: Rodriguez, D, da Costa, RF, Vieira, A S, Girolamo, L, Raymundi, L Y, Guiselini, M, Pontes, F L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: 01.06.2008
• ISSN: 1519-9088
• DOI: 10.3900/fpi.7.3.169.p

Introduction: Exercise programs have been considered an important behavior in the non-pharmacological treatment of the hypertension. However, it is still not clear which is the necessary amount of exercises to produce significant reductions in the blood pressure (BP). The objective of this study was to verify if 60min per week of aerobic exercise (jogging), accomplished in 12 weeks, would be sufficient to produce a drop in the blood pressure in sedentary hypertensive women. Materials and Methods: 12 hypertensive volunteers (70.72 plus or minus 7.23 years old; 71.32 plus or minus 11.14kg; body mass index 29.73 plus or minus 3.97kg.m super(2); average BP 95.33 plus or minus 8.46mmHg) were evaluated. The participants were submitted to 12 weeks of exercises accomplished in two sessions per week, with 30min of duration and intensity between 50% and 60% of the VO sub(2max). The BP in repose was determined by three actions accomplished 48h before the beginning of the exercise program and 48h after the end of it. All participants should be sedentary and present systolic BP (SBP) between 130mmHg and 159mmHg and diastolic BP (DBP) between 85mmHg and 99mmHg. Results: The SBP varied from 144.53 plus or minus 12.24mmHg to 131.35 plus or minus 11.33mmHg (p=0.001), the DBP varied from 81.66 plus or minus 5.90mmHg to 77.05 plus or minus 5.20mmHg (p=0.034) while the average BP varied from 95.33 plus or minus 8.46mmHg to 88.47 plus or minus 8.34mmHg (p=0.012). Discussion: In this way, we conclude that 60min of jogging per week were sufficient to produce significant drop of the blood pressure in elderly hypertensive women.