Reduction of arterial pressure and double product at rest after resistance exercise training in elderly hypertensive women.

Background: Due to the existing controversies in literature about the potential benefits of resistance exercise training (RT) on arterial blood pressure (BP) at rest, and the lack of studies conducted with elderly hypertensive individuals, RT is seldom recommended as a non-pharmacological treatment for arterial hypertension.

Objective: To verify the effect of progressive RT on BP, HR, and RPP in elderly women with controlled hypertension.

Methods: 20 elderly women (66.8 +/- 5.6 years of age), with a sedentary lifestyle, monitored with anti-hypertensive medication, participated in a 12-week RT program (resistance training group - RTG). Twenty-six elderly women (65.3 +/- 3.4 years of age) with controlled hypertension did not engage in physical exercise during the study period, and composed the control group.

Results: After RT, there was a significant reduction in SBP, MBP, and DP values at rest. No significant drops in DBP and HR values at rest were observed after RT in both groups. The reduction in the RTG was 10.5 mmHg, 6.2 mmHg, and 2218.6 mmHg x bpm for SBP, MBP, and RPP, respectively.

Conclusion: Progressive RT reduced SBP, MBP, and RPP values at rest of hypertensive elderly women who were on anti-hypertensive treatment.