Dose-response curve to exercise in hypertensive individuals: analysis of the number of sessions to the hypotensive effect.

Background: The effect of exercise on blood pressure (BP) is already known; however, the dose-response curve of the hypotensive effect of exercise in hypertensive individuals is yet to be clarified.

Objective: To evaluate the dose-response curve of the number of sessions that are necessary to cause a hypotensive effect in hypertensive individuals.

Methods: 88 individuals, aged 58 +/- 11 years, divided in Experimental group (EG), with 48 that participated in a physical exercise program (PEP), which consisted of 40 minutes of aerobic exercises performed 3x/week, for 3 months, at 70% of the VO2max, and muscular exercises at 40% of the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and Control Group (CG) with 40 individuals that did not participate in the PEP.