Korean J Sports Med.  2019 Dec;37(4):162-170. 10.5763/kjsm.2019.37.4.162.

Effects of Isometric Handgrip Exercise versus Aerobic Exercise on Arterial Stiffness and Brachial Artery Flow-Mediated Dilation in Older Hypertensive Patients

• Yoon ES
• Choo J
• Kim JY
• Jae SY

• KMID: 2466806
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5763/kjsm.2019.37.4.162

Abstract

PURPOSE
Isometric handgrip exercise (IHE) is an easy and accessible form of exercise that has beneficial effects on blood pressure (BP). However, it remains unclear whether IHE is similar benefits on arterial stiffness and endothelial function compared with aerobic exercise (AE) in elderly hypertensive patients. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of IHE versus AE on arterial stiffness and endothelial function in elderly hypertensive patients.
METHODS
We conducted a randomized controlled trial with a three-arm design. Fifty-four elderly hypertensive patients (15 men; mean age, 69±6 years; systolic blood pressure, 131.2±14.7; diastolic blood pressure, 80.2±7.9 mm Hg) were randomized to IHE training (n=18), AE training (n=21), or non-exercise control group (n=21) for 12 weeks. Bilateral IHE training was performed four times of 2 minutes at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction with three times per week. AE training was performed brisk walking for 30 minutes at moderate intensity with three times per week. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index heart rate corrected (AIx@75 bpm) and brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) as indices of arterial stiffness and endothelial function were measured at baseline and after the intervention.
RESULTS
Following 12-week intervention, resting BP was significantly decreased in both IHE (p=0.001) and AE groups (p=0.002). AIx@75 bpm and FMD were unchanged in the all groups. However, PWV was significantly decreased in both IHE and AE groups (IHE, 10.9±2.3 to 9.9±2.1 m/s [p<0.001]; AE, 10.5±2.0 to 9.4±1.6 m/s [p=0.001]), without any change in the control group.
CONCLUSION
These findings suggest that both IHE and AE trainings were comparable effect in improving arterial stiffness in elderly hypertensive patients.

Keyword

Aged; Hypertension; Isometric contraction; Vascular stiffness; Vasodilation

MeSH Terms

Aged
Blood Pressure
Brachial Artery*
Exercise*
Heart Rate
Humans
Hypertension
Isometric Contraction
Male
Pulse Wave Analysis
Vascular Stiffness*
Vasodilation
Walking

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Experimental design.

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  Fig. 2 Isometric handgrip exercise device and exercise protocol. MVC: maximum voluntary contraction.

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  Fig. 3 Changes in pulse wave velocity (PWV) and flow-medicated dilation (FMD) from pre- to post-intervention. Values are presented as mean±standard error. Δ: the difference between post and pre each data, IHE: isometric handgrip exercise group, AE: aerobic exercise group, CON: control. *Significantly different from pre-intervention (p<0.05).

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