Dynamics of the profile of biochemical markers of arterial hypertension in the elderly patients under exposure to a physical load

Abstract

The elderly age is an independent, non-modifiable risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases, including arterial hypertension (AH). One of the causes attributable to the increase in the number of cardiovascular diseases (including hypertension) is a decrease in the level of the motor activity in humans under the modern living conditions. In connection with this, the modern society is actively looking for various means that could contribute to the prolongation of active human longevity. The regular physical activity can and should be the most important among such means. The objective of the present work was to study the biochemical markers of arterial hypertension in the elderly patients and the influence of physical activity on their dynamics. The study involved the elderly patients including 148 ones at the age from 60 to 74 years who underwent examination and/or treatment for stage I-II arterial hypertension (AH I-II) based at the medical facilities of the city of Stavropol. 30.4% of these patients were men and 69.6% women. All of them were asked to take the drugs needed to treat hypertension during a period of 12 months. The patients were divided into two groups. The first group (the main group) consisted of 72 patients (48.6%) who receivedregular sessions of medical physical training, in addition to conventional drug therapy. The patients who received only medication were referred to the second group comprised of 76 subjects (51.4%). The results of the study give evidence that the combination of the physical exercises with standard drug therapy in the elderly and senile patients presenting with AH I-II promotes considerable improvement in the overall health status of the treated patients including red blood indices (p<0.05). The more pronounced influence of the treatment on the biochemical indices of endothelial dysfunction (the homocysteine level) and lipid metabolism (total cholesterol) was documented in the group of the patients who practiced exercise therapy (p<0,05) than in those comprising the group of comparison treated in the absence of exercise therapy (p=0). The greatest effect was observed after 6 months from the beginning of the exercise therapy. The investigation into the biological markers of arterial hypertension in the elderly patients with this pathological condition has demonstrated that the regularly practiced moderate physical exercises (exercitation, walking) leads to a significant decrease of the homocysteine level as well as the normalization of lipid metabolism and indices of the red blood.