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Abstract

Exercise training has been shown to reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension, but individual responses are variable. Blood pressure responses to sodium loading are also heterogeneous. No studies have determined if sodium-sensitivity status differentially affects the blood pressure response to exercise training. Thus, we sought to determine whether blood pressure reductions with exercise training are different between sodium-sensitive (SS) and sodium-resistant (SR) older hypertensive individuals. To determine sodium-sensitivity status, 29 older (age 63±3) male (n=11) and female (n=18) hypertensives underwent supine intra-arterial blood pressure measurement at the end of 7 days of low (20 mEq Na+/day) and high (200 mEq Na+/day) sodium diets before exercise training. Based on the difference in mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) between the low and high sodium diets, subjects were categorized as SS (n=18) defined by a ≥ 5 mmHg increase in MABP or SR (n=11) by a < 5 mmHg increase in MABP. Exercise training consisted of supervised treadmill walking at 70% of heart rate reserve 3 days/wk, 40 min/day for 6 months. Before and after exercise training, seated resting casual blood pressure was measured, while subjects consumed their normal diet, on 3 separate days using a standard sphygmomanometer. Baseline body weight, percent body fat, VO2max, and resting systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure were not significantly different between the SS and SR groups. After exercise training, VO2max was significantly increased in both the SS (17.9±0.9 vs 20.0±1.0 ml/kg/min, p<0.001) and SR (18.4±1.1 vs 20.3 ±1.2 ml/kg/min, p<0.001) groups. Resting systolic blood pressure (SBP) was significantly reduced in the SS (149.3±2.5 vs 144.3±3.0 mmHg, p=0.028) and the SR (157.2±3.5 vs 149.3±3.3 mmHg, p=0.002) groups. Resting diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was significantly reduced in the SS group (87.2±1.5 vs 82.8±1.4 mmHg, p<0.001) but not in the SR group (90.9±2.9 vs 89.0±2.7 mmHg, p=0.11). Resting mean blood pressure (MBP) was also significantly reduced in both the SS (108.1±1.4 vs 103.2±1.6 mmHg, p<0.001) and the SR (113.3±3.0 vs 109.2±2.4 mmHg, p=0.005) groups. The magnitude of reductions in SBP (-5.0±2.1 vs -7.9±2.0 mmHg, p=0.35), DBP (-4.3±0.9 vs -1.8±1.1 mmHg, p=0.09) and MBP (-4.9±1.0 vs -4.2±1.2 mmHg, p=0.64) were not significantly different between the SS and SR groups. Thus, we conclude that the overall effects of endurance exercise training on resting blood pressure reductions are similar in older hypertensive individuals regardless of sodium-sensitivity status.

Exercise Training, Sodium Sensitivity, Blood Pressure
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© American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd. 2001
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