PS-C25-9: COMPARISON OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE EFFECTS OF ISOMETRIC HANDGRIP VERSUS AEROBIC EXERCISE IN ELDERLY HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

• DOI: 10.1097/01.hjh.0000917056.27903.27
• Publication Date: 2023-01-12T17:24:16Z
• Authors: Sae Young Jae; Eun Sun Yoon; Hyun Jeong Kim; Min Jeong Cho
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; 3. Good health

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the antihypertensive effects of isometric handgrip exercise (IHG) versus aerobic exercise (AE) on clinic, central and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressures in elderly hypertensive patients.

Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial with a three-arm design. Fifty-four elderly hypertensive patients (mean age 69 ± 6 years) were randomized to IHG training (n = 17), AE training (n = 19), or non-exercise control group (n = 18; CON) for 12 weeks (3 times per week). Bilateral IHG training was performed four times of 2 min at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction using a digital handgrip device. AE training was a brisk walking and bike exercise for 30-min at moderate intensity. Resting clinic, central, and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressures were obtained at baseline and after 12-week intervention.

Results: Compared with CON, office and 24-hour systolic blood pressure were significantly reduced in both IHG and AE groups (P < 0.05, both) and the magnitude of SBP reduction was not significantly different between both the exercise intervention groups. However, office, central and 24-hour diastolic blood pressure were more decreased in IHG vs. AE group as compared with CON.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that both IHG and AE training reduced resting office blood pressure and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure, but IHG training is more effective in improving office, central and 24-h ambulatory diastolic blood pressure than AE. Thus, IHG training may be an alternative antihypertensive therapy for elderly hypertensive patients.