EFFECTS OF HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL AND MODERATE-INTENSITY CONTINUOUS TRAINING ON AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE AND CARDIOVASCULAR OUTCOMES IN OLDER ADULTS WITH HYPERTENSION (HEXA STUDY): A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL
Aging, Cardiovascular Diseases, Exercise, Aerobic Training, Cardiorespiratory Fitness.
This study investigated the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) and cardiovascular outcomes in older adults with hypertension. This was a three-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial (1:1:1), conducted with blinded assessors and statisticians. Sixty-five inactive older adults (60–80 years) with hypertension were randomized to HIIT, MICT, or a health education program. Interventions consisted of moderate walking, brisk walking, and/or running, guided by perceived exertion, over three months. The primary outcome was 24-hour ABP, and secondary outcomes included resting blood pressure and maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂). In the main analysis, no significant changes were observed in ABP. However, both HIIT and MICT significantly improved VO₂ (p<0.05), while only HIIT reduced resting systolic blood pressure (-5 mmHg; p<0.05). In a secondary analysis restricted to participants with baseline 24-hour systolic BP <115 mmHg, HIIT reduced nighttime systolic BP (-5 mmHg). In conclusion, neither HIIT nor MICT significantly reduced 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure in older adults with hypertension. Nevertheless, HIIT showed beneficial effects on resting blood pressure, and both training protocols improved cardiorespiratory fitness.