Effects of concurrent and aerobic exercises on postexercise hypotension in elderly hypertensive men

Despite the fact that simultaneous performance of resistance and aerobic exercises (i.e., concurrent exercise) has become a standard exercise prescription for the elderly, no information is available on its effects on post-exercise hypotension (PEH) in elderly men with hypertension. Purpose: To compare the effects of different types of exercise on PEH in elderly men with hypertension. Methods: Twenty elderly men with essential hypertension participated in three crossover interventions, in random order, and on separate days: a non-exercise control session at seated rest, aerobic exercise performed for 45 min, and 45 min of concurrent resistance and aerobic exercise consisted of 4 sets of 8 repetitions at 70% 1RM of resistance exercise followed by aerobic exercise on treadmill. After each session, blood pressure (BP) was measured continuously for 1 h in the laboratory and for 24 h under ambulatory conditions. Results: During the first hour in laboratory, diastolic BP was lower after aerobic (- 5 mm Hg) and concurrent exercise (- 6 mm Hg) in comparison with Control. Day-time diastolic BP was significantly lower after aerobic exercise (- 7 mm Hg) when compared to the control. No significant differences were found among the three experimental sessions for night-time and 24-hour diastolic BP, as well as day-time, night-time and 24-hour systolic BP. Conclusion: Concurrent exercise produced acute PEH similar to aerobic exercise but such effect did not last as long as aerobic exercise in elderly patients with essential hypertension.