Ambulatory blood pressure reduction following high-intensity interval exercise performed in water or dryland condition

Abstract

We aimed to compare blood pressure (BP) responses following moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE), high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) in dry land or HIIE in immersed condition, using 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring. Forty-two individuals (65 ± 7 years, 52% men) with a baseline BP ≥ 130/85 mm Hg (systolic/diastolic blood pressures [SBP/DBP]) were randomly assigned to perform one of the three following exercises on a stationary cycle: MICE (24 minutes at 50% peak power output) or HIIE in dry land (two sets of 10 minutes with phases of 15 seconds 100% peak power output interspersed by 15 seconds of passive recovery) or HIIE in up-to-the-chest immersed condition. While MICE modified none of the 24-hour average hemodynamic variables, dryland HIIE induced a 24-hour BP decrease (SBP: -3.6 ± 5.7/DBP: -2.8 ± 3.0 mm Hg, P < .05) and, to a much greater extent, immersed HIIE (SBP: -6.8 ± 9.5/DBP: -3.0 ± 4.5 mm Hg, P < .05). The one condition that modified 24-hour pulse-wave velocity was immersed HIIE (-0.21 ± 0.30 m/s, P < .05).

Keywords: Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; arterial stiffness; high-intensity interval exercise; water exercise.