To Evaluate the Effect of Resistance Exercise on Acute Cardiac Responses in Normotensives and in Borderline Hypertensives - a Comparative Study

Hypertension is a serious public health problem and is a common cause of mortality worldwide. Borderline hypertension is the “gray zone” where an individual's blood pressure is neither clearly normal, nor high enough to mandate antihypertensive treatment. In recent years, resistance exercise has gained widespread acceptance in exercise prescription and has become an integral component of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation programs. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the effect of resistance exercise on acute cardiac responses in normotensives and in borderline hypertensives.

50 subjects(mean age of 26±3.16 years) diagnosed and referred by physician as normotensives and borderline hypertensives were included in the study. Subjects were categorized in two groups: normotensives(n=25) and borderline hypertensives(n=25). Each subject was evaluated for strength using 10RM value. Resistance exercises for upper limb (biceps curl) and lower limb (knee extension) were performed with both the groups. Outcome measures of blood pressure, heart rate, mean arterial blood pressure and rate pressure product were recorded with pre and post intervention.

Significant average differences in outcome measures of blood pressure(t=1.63, p<0.05), heart rate(t=2.10, p<0.05), mean arterial blood pressure(t=5.46, p<0.05) and rate pressure product(t=3.20, p<0.05) existed between groups

The findings of the study indicate that resistance exercise has a potential effect on lowering the blood pressure in borderline hypertensive patients which could be investigated further.