AUTHOR=Zhao Yan , Zheng Yuchan , Ma Xiaohuan , Qiang Lili , Lin Aicui , Zhou Mo 

TITLE=Low-Intensity Resistance Exercise Combined With Blood Flow Restriction is More Conducive to Regulate Blood Pressure and Autonomic Nervous System in Hypertension Patients—Compared With High-Intensity and Low-Intensity Resistance Exercise

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.833809

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2022.833809

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> The effect of resistance exercise on the autonomic nervous system of patients with hypertension has not been identified.</p><p><bold>Objective:</bold> To explore a suitable resistance training method for hypertension patients to regulate blood pressure (BP) and autonomic nervous system function.</p><p><bold>Method:</bold> Forty-five hypertension patients aged between 55 and 70 years were randomly equally divided into three groups: the high-intensity resistance exercise (HE) group, the low-intensity resistance exercise combined with blood flow restriction (LE-BFR) group, and the low-intensity resistance exercise (LE) group. All patients performed quadriceps femoris resistance exercise. The exercise intensity of HE, LE-BFR and LE group was 65, 30 and 30% of one repetition maximum (1RM), respectively. The LE-BFR group used pressure cuffs to provide 130% of systolic pressure to the patient’s thighs during resistance exercise. The training program was 20 times/min/set with a 1-min break after each set, and was conducted five sets/day and 3 days/week, lasting for 12 weeks. The heart rate (HR), BP, root-mean-square of difference-value of adjacent RR intervals (RMSSD), low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) were evaluated before and after the first training and the last training.</p><p><bold>Result:</bold> Significant differences in HR were observed in both recovery states after the first and last training (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). After 12 weeks of training, the recovery speed of HR in the LE-BFR group increased significantly (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). The systolic blood pressures in the HE and LE-BFR group were significantly reduced (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05 and <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01), and the differences among groups were significant (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). In the last recovery state, the RMSSD of the LE group was significantly lower than that in the first recovery state (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). The LF/HF ratios of the HE and LE groups in the resting and recovery states were increased significantly (all <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). LF/HF ratios in the LE-BFR group in the resting and recovery state were decreased significantly (both <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01).</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Compared to HE and LE, LE-BFR could effectively decrease systolic pressure and regulate the autonomic nervous system function in hypertension patients.</p>