Effects of long-term lifestyle and high-intensity interval training intervention on blood pressure reduction in patients with abdominal obesity

Abstract

Purpose: The aims of this study were: 1) to study the impact of a combined long-term lifestyle and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) intervention on blood pressure (BP) in patients with abdominal obesity; 2) To document BP reduction responses according to the European Society of Hypertension BP classification. Methods: 105 patients with abdominal obesity (age: 53±10 yrs; 32 men; waist circumference (WC): 112±13cm; systolic/diastolic (SBP/DBP): 133±13/82±8 mmHg; 11% diabetics, 11% smokers, 68% with antihypertensive therapy) were retrospectively analyzed before and after a combined long-term lifestyle and HIIT program twice a week. Anthropometric measurements, cardiometabolic risk factors, and resting BP (5min. of supine rest, using a manual sphygmomanometer) were assessed at baseline and after 9 months of program. Results: After 9 months, we observed an improvement in weight (-4.83kg), BMI (-1.75 kg/m2), WC (-6.62 cm), an average SBP/DBP decrease of -5.59/-3.31 mmHg. These changes were not uniform, 74 patients decreased their BP (1 mmHg or more) reaching -11.69/-6.92 mmHg. The parameter which differentiated them to those who did not improve their BP was their higher initial BP level (SBP: 135±14 vs. 126±10 mmHg, P=0.001; DBP 84±7 vs. 77±3 mmHg, P<0.0001). Thus, we compared following groups in accord to their baseline ESH-BP-classification: 1/ optimal \[BP <120/80 mmHg] + [120/80 ≤ BP < 130/85 mmHg\] (n=13) vs. 2/ high normal \[130/85 ≤BP < 140/90 mmHg] + stage 1 hypertension [140/90 ≤ BP < 160/100 mmHg\] (n=92). We observed no significant difference between groups 1/ vs. 2/ in terms of gender (P=0.2), age (50±9 vs. 54±10 yrs, P=0.2), resting heart rate (72±15 vs. 75±12 bpm, P=0.3), diabetes, lipid analysis, weight loss (-3.75±4.49 vs. -4.99±5.67 kg, P=0.4), WC improvement (-5.95±3.49 vs. -6.72±11.70 cm, P=0.8). Antihypertensive therapies were at baseline less present in group 1/ than in group 2/ (38% vs. 72%, P=0.02). Furthermore, BP was not improved in group 1/ (+1.85/+4.92 mmHg) but decreased in group 2/ (-6.64/-4.48 mmHg) (P=0.04 and P=0.0003 respectively for SBP/DBP). Conclusion: A long-term lifestyle and high-intensity interval training intervention had a beneficial effect on BP levels in patients with abdominal obesity and a baseline BP ≥130/85 mmHg. This helped them to bring back to BP values.