Acta Scientific Orthopaedics (ISSN: 2581-8635)

Review Article Volume 4 Issue 7

Post-Exercise Hypotension - A Narrative Review

Bimal Raj, Rijo Oommen Iype, Tulasiram Bommasamudram* and Shifra Fernandes

Department of Exercise and Sports Science, Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India

*Corresponding Author: Tulasiram Bommasamudram, Department of Exercise and Sports Science, Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.

Received: May 24, 2021; Published: June 10, 2021

Abstract

  Post-exercise hypotension (PEH) is a condition wherein there is a drop in blood pressure (BP) after a simple exercise bout. PEH could be used as an effective strategy to regulate blood pressure at rest, particularly among people with hypertension. This literature review attempts to investigate the significance of PEH induced via aerobic and resistance training in hypertensive, pre-hypertensive, and normotensive individuals. The articles chosen for this review addressed active adult and the older population who were either normotensive, pre-hypertensive, or hypertensive and engaged in aerobic exercise or resistance exercise. Since the research studies have used different prescriptions and protocols for the aerobic and resistance training, which leads to certain disagreements about the intensity and duration of the workouts to be prescribed. Aerobic training appears to encourage a greater and longer decrease in BP rates as compared to resistance training. Also, high intensity or moderate intensity training both can reduce the risk of cardiometabolic disorder.

Keywords: Blood Pressure; Post-Exercise Hypotension; Aerobic Training; Strength Training; Resistance Training; Endurance Training

Abbreviations

BP: Blood Pressure; PEH: Post-Exercise Hypotension; HIIT: High-Intensity Interval Training; HIIE: High-Intensity Interval Exercise; MCE: Moderate-Intensity Continuous Exercise; HRV: Heart Rate Variability; RM: Repetition Maximum

Introduction

  One of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease is hypertension. Nearly 45 percent of deaths from coronary artery disease and 51 percent of deaths from strokes can be related to the presence of hypertension [1]. Even after knowing the health risks of physical inactivity, it appears to be a struggle for many people to engage in regular exercise/physical activity. A spike in the rate of urbanization across the globe has been associated with changes in human behavior and has thus lead to a greater section of the society, adopting a sedentary lifestyle. Daily exercise could be considered as a non-medical aid for BP management. Engaging in any form of physical activity has proven to help reduce BP in pre-hypertensive and hypertensive populations. Besides lowering blood pressure, physical activity also helps to maintain cardiovascular health, as well as reduce mortality rate [2-4]. Prolonged and regular exercise has been shown to significantly lower blood pressure amongst various populations [5,6]. Research also found that, in terms of pre-exercise blood pressure (BP), a session of physical exercises would reduce BP. This phenomenon known as post-exercise hypotension mainly seen in persons with hypertension [2,3,7-9].

  PEH is characterized by a decrease in systolic or diastolic blood pressure following at least 30 minutes of physical exercise [2,7]. 30 to 45 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise may result in a reduction of 5 - 10 mmHg in young normotensive individuals, on the other hand, higher differences are observed in hypertensive individuals [2]. The drop in blood pressure following exercise was attributed to either a decline in cardiac performance or a drop in systemic vascular resistance. Such modifications are affected by improvements in autonomic cardiac regulation and sympathetic vasomotor behavior that are triggered during the exercise bout [10].

  PEH has been observed with different forms of exercise, such as walking, running, cycling, swimming, and resistance exercise [11]. Short duration low-intensity exercise efficiently stimulates PEH, whereas prolonged duration and High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has the potential to further lower blood pressure and prolong the duration of PEH. HIIT workouts have demonstrated a longer PEH period as compared to sub-maximum constant-load exercise [12].

Objective of the Study

  The main objective of this literature review is to provide a consolidated understanding concerning the influence of PEH with aerobic and resistance exercise in normotensive, pre-hypertensive, and hypertensive individuals.

Methodology

  The search was conducted via online databases such as PubMed, PLOS ONE, Springer, Google Scholar and Scopus repositories for literature review, with keywords “Post-exercise hypotension”, “blood pressure response”, “aerobic exercise” “resistance exercise”. All data that was obtained was published between January 2014 to February 2020. The inclusion criteria for this review were studies that addressed active adult or older populations who were either normotensive, pre-hypertensive, or hypertensive and engaged in either aerobic exercise or resistance exercise. The results obtained from the search were then selected or rejected based on the aforementioned criteria. Only research work that was reported in English was considered for this review.

Discussion

Aerobic exercise and post-exercise hypotension

  Exercise is a beneficial non- medical supplement to improve the regulation of blood pressure. It has been seen in a variety of populations that both acute bout as well as chronic exercise, significantly lower BP [2]. Research has shown a clear positive correlation between the reduction in blood pressure and the magnitude of PEH during aerobic exercise [3,8]. The prescription of aerobic exercise plays a significant role in decreasing coronary artery diseases and mortality rates. It has also been emphasized, that this form of workout is a silver norm for improving cardiovascular and respiratory health and many reports have found that poor cardio-respiratory health is a marker of age-related death [13,14].

  PEH occurs after exercise, which is performed either in the morning or in the evening [15]. Studies suggest that the benefits of lowering systolic blood pressure are more noticeable after a morning workout while considering circadian rhythm variations. This is associated with a decrease in cardiac index, owing to a lesser heart rate and sympathovagal balance. Additionally, a mild vasodilatory response was noticed after exercising in the morning [16].

  A research was performed to distinguish the severity of PEH in hypertensive individuals undertaking High-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) and equate it with moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MCE). It was observed that MCE encourages PEH which is strongly prescribed for people with hypertension. Whereas in the sedentary population, the performed HIIE indicates some clinical and physiological benefits for post-exercise hypotension. However, one hour after the exercise sessions, the HIIE developed a greater magnitude of reduction in systolic and mean arterial pressure than MCE [14].

  Another study explored the impact of short-term HIIT on PEH in young women who were overweight or obese, following the training and detraining phase. In order to know their maximum aerobic capacity (VO2max), the subjects were asked to perform an incremental exercise test until exhaustion on the treadmill. The results of the VO2max test were used to determine the running speed, in order to achieve 90 - 95% HR max. while performing HIIT. The training intervention consisted of six sessions. Participants were asked to refrain from working out for 2 weeks and then report to the clinic for re-tests. Consequently, the study revealed the correlation of six HIIT sessions with clinically relevant PEH responses. However, two weeks of detraining reversed the effects of training, in a manner that allowed SBP to return to resting values. Although DBP was not influenced much by detraining, it stayed consistently weak and the magnitude stayed equivalent. To retain the acquired benefits for a longer period of time, it is necessary to establish and maintain an exercise routine [17]. Therefore participating in HIIT or Moderate intensity exercise helps to reduce blood lipids, decreases the percentage of body fat, and also improves cardiovascular fitness [18].

  Aquatic exercise has several benefits, especially for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases. It is widely recommended for the elderly population, considering it could provide a variety of health benefits. Owing to the buoyancy principle, bodyweight could be lowered by about 90%, and thus reduces the risk of several musculoskeletal injuries as compared to land-based exercises, especially for overweight and obese individuals [19]. Even though there are only a few studies that evaluated the response of ambulatory BP to aqua training and it shows a higher reduction in the response to PEH and was able to maintain that for a prolonged period of time. I addition to PEH, water-based training is mainly recommended for the older population as it reduces the load and mechanical stress on the musculoskeletal system [20,21]. Aquatic exercises often tend to have the additional advantage of minimizing pain [20]. Such forms of training have been incorporated in rehabilitative and therapeutic interventions, that further aid with the improvement of cardiovascular health and muscular fitness, mainly for adults and older adults, having limited functional movements [21,22].

  One study explored the effect of aquatic training on PEH in physically active, older women with hypertension. The training session included eighteen consecutive group exercises, each lasting two minutes and thirty seconds on average. There were four upper and four lower body exercises, and ten exercises that involved a combination of both upper and lower limb exercises. The control session/group had a forty-five minutes session without any exercise, and the participants could sit or stand during that duration. This study showed that the total systolic blood pressure after water-based exercises could reduce by 5 mmHg in the 21 hours after exercise when compared with the CONTROL session [23].

Resistance exercise and post-exercise hypotension

  Resistance exercise commonly known as strength training is advised for the cure and management of cardiac illness as a non-pharmacological therapy. Aerobic training generally facilitates a larger and prolonged decrease in PEH magnitude than resistance exercises. There is no fixed protocol for strength training that could contribute to stronger decreases in blood pressure levels in persons with hypertension [22]. Only a few trials have been conducted to verify the significance of strength training on PEH as compared to aerobic training. It has been suggested that regular strength exercise could lower the systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 3.9 mmHg and 3.2 mmHg respectively [6]. PEH was documented both for normotensive and hypertensive individuals. There is thus some proof that strength training could be effective in prolonging the reduction of BP at rest as per the guidelines of ACSM. Therefore, resistance exercise can be advised for the care of hypertensive individuals [22].

  In 2015, a group of researchers tried to determine the effect of resistance training, performed with various load intensities, on BP and heart rate variability (HRV) in trained individuals. The subjects were healthy males with a minimum of six months of strength training experience. With each session, the subjects performed 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions at different intensities, with 2 min rest intervals between sets. BP and HRV were monitored before each exercise session and one hour after each session. The results showed that training at 70% 1RM (Repetition Maximum) was preferred to prolong the period of PEH, compared to 60% or 80% 1RM training sessions [24].

  Cavalcante., et al. analyzed the findings of various intensities of resistance exercise on PEH in hypertensive older women. The participants were asked to perform a 1RM test to assess experimental loads between 40 percent and 80 percent. The protocol demanded each participant to perform 3 sets of a few exercises as per the investigator's instructions in a single set. A 90 seconds rest was allowed between each set. During rest and at 5, 10, 15, 30 and 45 minutes of exercise and after 60 minutes of exercise, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure was measured and recorded. This study showed that these older women with hypertension exhibit PEH regardless of exercise intensities, without any cardiopulmonary fatigue throughout the exercise program [25].

  The effect of resistance exercise performed at varying workout orders and rest intervals on BP and HRV has been investigated. The participants were males with a minimum weight training background of 12 months. The exercises were carried out as per the protocol and directions are given by the investigator. Once the 15 RM load had been completed for one exercise, a 10-min break was given just before going to test for the next one. All exercises were carried out on the same day. The participants were told randomly to perform the exercise in two separate A and B sets. The training order in sequence A, begins from large to small muscle groups, with either 40-sec or 90-sec intervals between sets. The training order in sequence B began with small to large groups of muscles with the same rest intervals. The BP and HRV were recorded 10 minutes before the exercise began and after each of the four strength training protocols at each interval of 10 minutes for 1 hour. It was thus concluded that a 90-sec rest break between sets and exercise is recommended while doing upper body resistance training to stimulate the PEH reaction with SBP. The 40-second rest breaks between sets and exercises exerted greater cardiovascular stress, and thus may be contraindicated while dealing with individuals with cardiovascular diseases [26].

Conclusion

  Aerobic and Resistance training typically encourages cardiovascular benefits for people of different age groups, intending to control blood pressure. Different forms of physical training, such as HIIT and moderate-intensity training help lower blood lipids, reduces the amount of body fat percentage, and also improves cardiovascular health. Most of the studies indicate that aerobic activity performed at 50% to 60% of VO2 max for 30 to 45 minutes reflects a reduction in SBP or DBP resulting in PEH. Overall, these studies indicate that the relatively short period of HIIT or moderate-intensity exercise training can reduce cardio-metabolic risk factors in young people who had previously been sedentary or obese. Aquatic training is also considered good adjunctive therapy for controlling BP, providing great efficacy and reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injuries as well as lowering cardiovascular risk, especially in older individuals. Training at 70% 1RM is considered to be more beneficial to prolong the benefits of PEH, as compared to training at 60% or 80% 1RM. A 90-sec rest period between sets and exercises is recommended to encourage a PEH reaction to SBP while performing upper body strength training. However, when it comes to the safety of individuals, the intensity of exercise should be 50% 1RM. The rest between each set and exercises should be at least for one minute, especially with the major muscle groups. Besides, longer exercise bouts that lead to fatigue should be avoided as it may lead to greater increases in BP. We can thus conclude that there is a beneficial correlation between the frequency of PEH, and the reduction in BP following aerobic and resistance training. Aerobic exercise can be much more effective in lowering blood pressure and aerobic exercise also reduces liver fat.

Conclusion

  Aerobic and Resistance training typically encourages cardiovascular benefits for people of different age groups, intending to control blood pressure. Different forms of physical training, such as HIIT and moderate-intensity training help lower blood lipids, reduces the amount of body fat percentage, and also improves cardiovascular health. Most of the studies indicate that aerobic activity performed at 50% to 60% of VO2 max for 30 to 45 minutes reflects a reduction in SBP or DBP resulting in PEH. Overall, these studies indicate that the relatively short period of HIIT or moderate-intensity exercise training can reduce cardio-metabolic risk factors in young people who had previously been sedentary or obese. Aquatic training is also considered good adjunctive therapy for controlling BP, providing great efficacy and reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injuries as well as lowering cardiovascular risk, especially in older individuals. Training at 70% 1RM is considered to be more beneficial to prolong the benefits of PEH, as compared to training at 60% or 80% 1RM. A 90-sec rest period between sets and exercises is recommended to encourage a PEH reaction to SBP while performing upper body strength training. However, when it comes to the safety of individuals, the intensity of exercise should be 50% 1RM. The rest between each set and exercises should be at least for one minute, especially with the major muscle groups. Besides, longer exercise bouts that lead to fatigue should be avoided as it may lead to greater increases in BP. We can thus conclude that there is a beneficial correlation between the frequency of PEH, and the reduction in BP following aerobic and resistance training. Aerobic exercise can be much more effective in lowering blood pressure and aerobic exercise also reduces liver fat.

Conflict of Interest

We declare no conflict of interest.

References

  1. Figueiredo Tiago., et al. “Influence of Load Intensity on Postexercise Hypotension and Heart Rate Variability after a Strength Training Session”. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research10 (2015): 2941-2948.
  2. Halliwill John R., et al. “Postexercise Hypotension and Sustained Postexercise Vasodilatation: What Happens after We Exercise?” Experimental Physiology1 (2013): 7-18.
  3. Hecksteden Anne., et al. “Association between Postexercise Hypotension and Long-Term Training-Induced Blood Pressure Reduction: A Pilot Study”. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine1 (2013): 58-63.
  4. Wegmann Melissa., et al. “Postexercise Hypotension as a Predictor for Long-Term Training-Induced Blood Pressure Reduction: A Large-Scale Randomized Controlled Trial”. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine6 (2018): 509-515.
  5. Ciolac Emmanuel G., et al. “Acute Effects of Continuous and Interval Aerobic Exercise on 24-h Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Long-Term Treated Hypertensive Patients”. International Journal of Cardiology3 (2009): 381-387.
  6. Cornelissen Véronique A and Robert H Fagard. “Effects of Endurance Training on Blood Pressure, Blood Pressure-Regulating Mechanisms, and Cardiovascular Risk Factors”. Hypertension4 (2005): 667-675.
  7. Cornelissen Veronique A and Neil A Smart. “Exercise Training for Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”. Journal of the American Heart Association 1 (2013): 1-9.
  8. Liu Sam., et al. “Blood Pressure Responses to Acute and Chronic Exercise Are Related in Prehypertension”. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 9 (2012): 1644-1652.
  9. Cardoso Crivaldo Gomes., et al. “Acute and Chronic Effects of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise on Ambulatory Blood Pressure”. Clinics3 (2010): 317-325.
  10. Williamson Jeff D., et al. “Intensive vs Standard Blood Pressure Control and Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes in Adults Aged ≥75 Years a Randomized Clinical Trial”. JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association 24 (2016): 2673-2682.
  11. Bocalini Danilo Sales., et al. “Post-Exercise Hypotension and Heart Rate Variability Response after Water-and Landergometry Exercise in Hypertensive Patients”. Plos ONE 6 (2017): 1-14.
  12. Ngadi S., et al. “Postexercise hypotension after continuous, aerobic interval, and sprint interval exercise”. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2015).
  13. Armas Cruz., et al. “Comparison of Acute Cardiometabolic Responses in a 7-Minute Body Weight Circuit to 7-Minute HIIT Training Protocol”. International Journal of Exercise Science 2 (2020): 395-409.
  14. Pimenta Flávia C., et al. “High-Intensity Interval Exercise Promotes Post-Exercise Hypotension of Greater Magnitude Compared to Moderate-Intensity Continuous Exercise”. European Journal of Applied Physiology 5 (2019): 1235-1243.
  15. Bommasamudram T., et al. “Circadian Influence on Post-Exercise Hypotension: A Review (in Press)”. Comparative Exercise Physiology (2021): 1-6.
  16. De Brito LC., et al. “Post-Exercise Hypotension and Its Mechanisms Differ after Morning and Evening Exercise: A Randomized Crossover Study”. Plos ONE (2015): 10.7.
  17. Bonsu Biggie and Elmarie Terblanche. “The Training and Detraining Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training on Post-Exercise Hypotension in Young Overweight/Obese Women”. European Journal of Applied Physiology1 (2016): 77-84.
  18. Fisher Gordon., et al. “High Intensity Interval- vs Moderate Intensity- Training for Improving Cardiometabolic Health in Overweight or Obese Males: A Randomized Controlled Trial”. Plos ONE10 (2015): 1-15.
  19. Tiago M Barbosa., et al. “Physiological adaptations to head-out aquatic exercises with different levels of body immersion”. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research4 (2007): 1255-1259.
  20. Bartels Else Marie., et al. “Aquatic Exercise for the Treatment of Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis”. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2016).
  21. Bocalini Danilo Sales., et al. “Repercussions of Training and Detraining by Water-Based Exercise on Functional Fitness and Quality of Life: A Short-Term Follow-up in Healthy Older Women”. Clinics12 (2010): 1305-1309.
  22. Pescatello Linda S and Barry A Franklin. “Exercise and Hypertension”. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise3 (2004): 533-553.
  23. RM Cunha., et al. “Post-exercise hypotension after aquatic exercise in older women with hypertension: a randomized crossover clinical trial”. American Journal of Hypertension (2014): 1-26.
  24. Figueiredo Tiago., et al. “Post-Exercise Hypotensive Responses Following an Acute Bout of Aquatic and Overground Treadmill Walking in People Post-Stroke: A Pilot Study”. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise3 (2015): 231-238.
  25. Cavalcante Paula Andréa M., et al. “Effects of Exercise Intensity on Postexercise Hypotension after Resistance Training Session in Overweight Hypertensive Patients”. Clinical Interventions in Aging 10 (2015): 1487-1495.
  26. Lemos Sandro., et al. “Effects of Strength Training Sessions Performed with Different Exercise Orders and Intervals on Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Variability”. International Journal of Exercise Science2 (2018): 55-67.

Citation

Citation: Tulasiram Bommasamudram., et al. “Post-Exercise Hypotension - A Narrative Review".Acta Scientific Orthopaedics 4.7 (2021): 25-29.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2021 Tulasiram Bommasamudram., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.




Metrics

Acceptance rate33%
Acceptance to publication20-30 days

Indexed In



News and Events


  • Certification for Review
    Acta Scientific certifies the Editors/reviewers for their review done towards the assigned articles of the respective journals.
  • Submission Timeline for Upcoming Issue
    The last date for submission of articles for regular Issues is December 25, 2024.
  • Publication Certificate
    Authors will be issued a "Publication Certificate" as a mark of appreciation for publishing their work.
  • Best Article of the Issue
    The Editors will elect one Best Article after each issue release. The authors of this article will be provided with a certificate of "Best Article of the Issue"

Contact US