This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 49/6/1298    most recent HYPERTENSIONAHA.106.085548v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Laterza, M. C. Articles by Rondon, M. U.P.B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Laterza, M. C. Articles by Rondon, M. U.P.B. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information High Blood Pressure Related Collections Other hypertension Exercise/exercise testing/rehabilitation

(Hypertension. 2007;49:1298.)
© 2007 American Heart Association, Inc.

Original Articles

Exercise Training Restores Baroreflex Sensitivity in Never-Treated Hypertensive Patients

Mateus C. Laterza; Luciana D.N.J. de Matos; Ivani C. Trombetta; Ana M.W. Braga; Fabiana Roveda; Maria J.N.N. Alves; Eduardo M. Krieger; Carlos E. Negrão; Maria U.P.B. Rondon

From the Heart Institute (InCor) (M.C.L., L.D.N.J.d.M., I.C.T., A.M.W.B., F.R., M.J.N.N.A., E.M.K., C.E.N., M.U.P.B.R.), University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the School of Physical Education and Sports (C.E.N.), University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Correspondence to Maria U.P.B. Rondon, Instituto do Coração (InCor), Unidade de Reabilitação Cardiovascular e Fisiologia do Exercício, Av Dr Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 44-1° SS, Cerqueira César, São Paulo-SP, CEP 05403–000, Brazil. E-mail urbana{at}incor.usp.br

The effects of exercise training on baroreflex control of sympathetic nerve activity in human hypertension are unknown. We hypothesized that exercise training would improve baroreflex control of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and heart rate (HR) in patients with hypertension and that exercise training would reduce MSNA and blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients. Twenty never-treated hypertensive patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: exercise-trained (n=11; age: 46±2 years) and untrained (n=9; age: 42±2 years) patients. An age-matched normotensive exercise-trained group (n=12; age: 42±2 years) was also studied. Baroreflex control of MSNA (microneurography) and HR (ECG) was assessed by stepwise intravenous infusions of phenylephrine and sodium nitroprusside and analyzed by linear regression. BP was monitored on a beat-to-beat basis. Exercise training consisted of three 60-minute exercise sessions per week for 4 months. Under baseline conditions (before training), BP and MSNA were similar between hypertensive groups but significantly increased when compared with the normotensive group. Baroreflex control of MSNA and HR was similar between hypertensive groups but significantly decreased when compared with the normotensive group. In hypertensive patients, exercise training significantly reduced BP (P<0.01) and MSNA (P<0.01) levels and significantly increased baroreflex control of MSNA and HR during increases (P<0.01 and P<0.03, respectively) and decreases (P<0.01 and P<0.03, respectively) in BP. The baseline (preintervention) difference in baroreflex sensitivity between hypertensive patients and normotensive individuals was no longer observed after exercise training. No significant changes were found in untrained hypertensive patients. In conclusion, exercise training restores the baroreflex control of MSNA and HR in hypertensive patients. In addition, exercise training normalizes MSNA and decreases BP levels in these patients.

Key Words: hypertension • baroreflex sensitivity • sympathetic nerve activity • exercise • blood pressure

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Ceroni, L. J. Chaar, R. L. Bombein, and L. C. Michelini Chronic absence of baroreceptor inputs prevents training-induced cardiovascular adjustments in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats Exp Physiol, June 1, 2009; 94(6): 630 - 640. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Komine, J. Sugawara, K. Hayashi, M. Yoshizawa, and T. Yokoi Regular endurance exercise in young men increases arterial baroreflex sensitivity through neural alteration of baroreflex arc J Appl Physiol, May 1, 2009; 106(5): 1499 - 1505. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Q. Fu, W. Vongpatanasin, and B. D. Levine Neural and Nonneural Mechanisms for Sex Differences in Elderly Hypertension: Can Exercise Training Help? Hypertension, November 1, 2008; 52(5): 787 - 794. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Coimbra, L. S. Sanchez, J. M. Potenza, L. V. Rossoni, S. L. Amaral, and L. C. Michelini Is Gender Crucial for Cardiovascular Adjustments Induced by Exercise Training in Female Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats? Hypertension, September 1, 2008; 52(3): 514 - 521. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]