High-Intensity Interval vs. Moderate Steady-State Exercise

Abstract

To the Editor: The study by Rossow et al. titled “Postexercise Hypotension in an Endurance-Trained Population of Men and Women Following High-Intensity Interval and Steady-State Cycling”1 is interesting and adds important information to the discussion about the postexercise hypotension and high-intensity interval exercise in healthy subjects. The current study evaluated 15 men and 10 women in a randomized crossover design and concluded that postexercise hypotension was similar between high-intensity interval and steady-state exercise sessions. Although the study is original for analyzing postexercise hypotension after high-intensity interval exercise in a young and healthy endurance-trained population, it is not the first time that postexercise hypotension following highintensity interval exercise was demon strated. Ciolac et al.2 evaluated the postexercise hypotension in 52 hypertensive subjects, and also found no difference in postexercise hypotension between highintensity interval and moderate steady-state exercise sessions. Although the simple assessment of postexercise hypotension is very important, it can underestimate the real benefits of interval exercises, because it has been shown to be superior to moderate steady-state exercise when chronically performed.3,4 Guimaraes et al.3 evaluated the effects of high-intensity interval training vs. moderate steady-state exercise on 24-h ambulatory blood pressure and arterial stiffness in hypertensive subjects receiving long-term treatment. They concluded that exercise training, independent of the exercise training method, decreased blood pressure, but only the interval training improved arterial stiffness as evaluated by a decrease in carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity. When analyzing the effects of high-intensity interval training vs. moderate steady-state exercise on several hemodynamic, metabolic and neurohumoral variables of young normo tensive women at high familial risk for hypertension, Ciolac et al.4 found that both exercises were equally effective in improving 24-h ambulatory blood pressure, insulin and insulin sensitivity; however, high-intensity interval training was superior in improving cardiorespiratory fitness, carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity, as well as blood pressure, norepinephrine, endothelin-1, and nitric oxide response to exercise. In this context, the study by Rossow et al.1 could have found greater benefits of highintensity exercise if they also had evaluated postexercise hypotension after a period of high-intensity interval or moderate steadystate training.