EFFECTIVENESS OF PERIPHERAL HEART ACTION ON BODY COMPOSITION AND BLOOD PRESSURE IN PEOPLE WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

Continuous assessment and research on enhanced blood pressure control – CareBP study

The results of the CareBP study show the extended value of 14 days of individual blood pressure monitoring and underline the relevance of this approach for cardiovascular disease prevention.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation Outperforms Slow Deep Breathing in Reducing Mean Arterial and Systolic Blood Pressure Among Elderly Adults

Background: Aging is associated with declining physiological function, increased risk of hypertension, and heightened fall risk in the elderly. Physiotherapy interventions such as Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) and Slow Deep Breathing (SDB) have shown potential in managing blood pressure. Previous studies suggest that MAP may be a more critical parameter for assessing cardiovascular function and fall risk, especially in the elderly. Aim: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of PMR and SDB in reducing systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in the elderly.Material and methods: A quantitative, quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design was conducted, involving 48 elderly participants randomized into PMR and SDB groups. Blood pressure parameters (SBP, DBP, and MAP) were measured daily before and after each intervention over seven days. Data were analyzed using dependent and independent sample t-tests, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.Result: Both PMR and SDB significantly reduced SBP, DBP, and MAP in elderly participants (p < 0.05). However, PMR achieved more significant reductions in SBP (p = 0.017) and MAP (p = 0.041) compared to SDB. These findings suggest that PMR is more effective than SDB in lowering blood pressure parameters.Conclusions: While both PMR and SDB are beneficial for managing blood pressure in the elderly, PMR's superior efficacy on lowering MAP makes it a promising intervention for reducing fall risk and promoting cardiovascular health.

The Effect of Hypertension Exercises on Reducing Blood Pressure in the Elderly at the Elderly Posyandu

Hypertension is a common degenerative disease among older adults and can lead to serious complications if not well controlled. Non-pharmacological approaches, such as hypertension exercise, are recommended to support blood pressure management. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of hypertension exercise in reducing blood pressure among older adults at the Elderly Health Post (Posyandu Lansia). A quasi-experimental study with a one-group pretest–posttest design was conducted. A total of 30 elderly participants were recruited using total sampling. Blood pressure was measured before and after the intervention. Hypertension exercise was administered in three sessions (February 18, 21, and 23, 2026). Data were analyzed using univariate and bivariate methods to assess changes in blood pressure. The findings showed a significant reduction in average systolic blood pressure after each session. In the first session, the mean systolic pressure decreased from 151.8 mmHg to 136.4 mmHg. Similar reductions were observed in the second and third sessions, indicating a consistent downward trend following the intervention. Hypertension exercise is effective in reducing blood pressure among older adults.

Eight-week mat Pilates improves blood pressure, vascular, and autonomic function in adults with elevated blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension

Aim: Hypertension and obesity frequently coexist and increase cardiovascular risk through vascular dysfunction, autonomic imbalance, and metabolic dysregulation. This study investigated the effects of an 8-week mat Pilates program on body composition, blood pressure, vascular function, autonomic nervous system activity, and health-related physical fitness in obese men with elevated or stage 1 hypertension. Methods: Twenty-three men with elevated or stage 1 hypertension and a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2 were initially recruited and randomly assigned to a control group (CON) or an experimental group (EXP). After withdrawal or loss to follow-up, 20 participants completed the study and were included in the final analysis (CON, n = 10; EXP, n = 10). The EXP performed mat Pilates three times per week for eight weeks, while CON maintained their usual lifestyle. Outcomes were assessed before and after the intervention. Results: Significant group × time interaction effects were observed for body weight, BMI, fat mass, hemodynamic variables, vascular indices, selected heart rate variability measures, and health-related physical fitness. Lean body mass and percent body fat improved significantly within the EXP, although the corresponding interaction effects were not significant. Overall, the EXP showed more favorable changes than the CON in several cardiometabolic and fitness-related outcomes. Conclusions: An 8-week mat Pilates program was associated with favorable changes in body composition, blood pressure and vascular function, autonomic nervous system indices, and health-related physical fitness in obese men with elevated or stage 1 hypertension. However, because body weight and fat mass also decreased and the sample size was small, these findings should be interpreted cautiously. This study cannot determine whether the changes resulted from the Pilates intervention itself, concurrent body composition changes, or their combined effects. Trial registration: KCT0010502; https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/index/index.do.

Effect of Caffeine on Blood Pressure During Exercise and At Rest in Overweight Men

Effects of home-based isometric handgrip or aerobic training on blood pressure variability and vascular health in older adults with elevated blood pressure and hypertension: secondary results from The HoldAge Trial.

BACKGROUND Hypertension is a multifactorial condition that is likely to affect older adults. We evaluated the effects of home-based isometric handgrip training (IHT) or aerobic exercise training (AET) on vascular health of older adults with elevated blood pressure (BP) and hypertension. METHODS The HoldAge trial (NCT04275032) was a two-center prospective randomized controlled trial. Eighty-four participants (46 women, 71.1 ± 3.6 years, BP: 137.1 ± 13.8/80.8 ± 8.3 mmHg) were randomized into IHT, AET, or usual medical care. Participants performed IHT or AET three times/week for 8 weeks. IHT consisted of 4 × 45 bilateral contractions at 50% of maximum voluntary contraction with 1-min rest between sets. AET consisted of walking 30 min at 50-70% of maximum oxygen consumption. Usual medical care received standard medical care. Outcome comprised blood pressure variability (BPV), flow-mediated dilation (FMD), aortic pulse wave velocity (aoPWV), and endothelial function and inflammation biomarkers. RESULTS No significant group × time interaction effects occurred for 24-h and daytime BPV, FMD, aoPWV, and circulating biomarkers (P > 0.05). A significant group × time interaction occurred for nighttime systolic BPV (P = 0.005). IHT decreased nighttime systolic BPV over time (-1.5 ± 3.0 mmHg; P = 0.011), while AET (1.1 ± 2.9 mmHg; P = 0.064) and usual medical care (0.6 ± 2.7 mmHg; P = 0.344) did not. CONCLUSION Home-based IHT effectively reduces nighttime systolic BPV in older adults with elevated BP and hypertension, suggesting it could serve as a valuable nonpharmacological strategy to improve vascular health.