Abstract
Aim: Physical activity and other lifestyle changes are an important part of the guidelines for anti-hypertensive therapy. The effect of physical activity on hypertension and heart disease has been well described. No study in our context has been done on this issue. The aim of this study was to evaluate regular physical activity in the management of hypertensive patients at the Cardiology Institute of Abidjan and the National Police Hospital. Material and methods: This was a prospective and descriptive study held in the External Consultations and Rehabilitation Departments of the aforementioned structures. It started on July 20, 2017 and ended on September 7, 2017. The data were analyzed on SPSS version 22. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: Out of the 190 hypertensive patients recruited and educated, only 70 actually participated in the physical activities that took place in the Rehabilitation Department of Heart Institute. The mean age of the patients was 52 years ± 15 years. The most affected age group was between 40 and 49 years of age (47.40%).There was a male predominance with a sex ratio of 1.11. 63.16% of the patients had a superior. The follow-up time for Hypertension was more than one year in 73.68% of the cases. Our study highlighted the knowledge of the virtues of regular physical activity on the body in 94.74% of cases. Physical activity was prescribed in 94.74% of cases. It was practiced in 63.16% of cases. The mains reasons given for those who did not practice physical activity were “lack of willpower” (90%) and physical activity considered “too tiring” (70%). Physically active patients had a significant decrease of 17.98 mmHg in systolic blood pressure (p Conclusion: The practice of physical activity in the control of hypertension remains insufficient at the Abidjan Heart Institute. Despite this insufficiency, physical exercise seems to have a positive effect on blood pressure control associated with antihypertensive pharmacological treatment.
Highlights
Hypertension is the main risk factor for morbidity and mortality [1]
While the effect of physical activity on hypertension and heart disease has been well described, no study in our context has been done on this issue
The exact prevalence of hypertension in young people according to the literature is relatively difficult to assess, due to the very different data available according to age groups, ethnicity, selection criteria, methodology applied for blood pressure measurements, oscillometric techniques, the number of blood pressure measurements available and the number of hospital visits for populations
Summary
Hypertension is the main risk factor for morbidity and mortality [1]. In Ivory Coast, hypertension data indicated a prevalence rate of 25% in 2005 according to the STEPS survey [2]. Lifestyle factors, including physical inactivity, are important modifiable risk factors in the development of hypertension. In addition to standard anti-hypertensive therapy, the benefits of physical activity on hypertension and cardiovascular disease have been well demonstrated [3] [4] [5] [6]. Physical activity and other lifestyle changes are an important part of the guidelines for anti-hypertensive therapy [7] [8]. While the effect of physical activity on hypertension and heart disease has been well described, no study in our context has been done on this issue.
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