EFFECT OF A SINGLE SESSION OF SELF-PACED WALKING OUTDOORS ON AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE IN INACTIVE HYPERTENSIVE OLDER WOMEN
KEY WORDS: hypertension; ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; postexercise hypotension; self-paced walking.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of a single session of self-paced walking outdoors on ambulatory blood pressure (BP) in inactive hypertensive older women.
METHODS: Eighteen medicated hypertensive older women (64.3 ± 4.5 years, 29.1 ± 4.5 kg/m², resting BP 120.6 ± 11.5 / 60.9 ± 6.6 mmHg) physically inactive (< 10.000 steps/day) participated of this randomized controlled trial with a crossover design. After an initial screening, the volunteers participated in two experimental sessions in a randomized order: i) self-paced walking outdoors (in a 400 m outdoor track) and ii) control session (no exercise). Both sessions were performed between 7:00-8:00AM. Heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and affective response (AR) were monitored during the self-paced walking session. Ambulatory BP was assessed during a 20 h period (awake: 13 h; asleep: 7 h) following the self-paced walking session and control session using an ambulatory BP monitoring device. Results are described as mean and confidence intervals 95%. Systolic and diastolic BP in 20 h, awake and asleep periods between the walking and control sessions were compared using paired t test. A p-value < 0.05 was set as statistical significant.
RESULTS: The intensity of the self-paced walking session was 59.6% (52.9-66.2) of HR reserve, the RPE was 11 (10-12) and the AR was +3 (3-4). Systolic BP was 3.2 mmHg (0.5-6.0) and 3.6 mmHg (1.0-6.2) lower in the 20 h and awake periods, respectively, following the self-paced walking compared to the control session (p < 0.05). Reductions of systolic BP presented a greater magnitude in the first six hours following the self-paced walking session (~6 mmHg; p < 0.05). No change was obseved in systolic BP during the asleep period (p > 0.05). There were no changes in diastolic BP in the 20 h, awake and asleep periods following the self-paced walking session compared to the control session (p > 0.05).
CONCLUSION: The self-paced walking outdoors reduced systolic BP in the 20 h and awake periods in inactive hypertensive older women, mainly in the first six hours. Considering that the older women reported the session as light-moderate and pleasant, the self-paced walking seems to be an interesting approach for inactive hypertensive older women.