Reduction of plasma aldosterone and arterial stiffness in obese pre- and stage 1 hypertensive subjects after aerobic exercise

• Published in: Journal of human hypertension p. 53
• Main Authors: Collier, S.R, Sandberg, K, Moody, A.M, Frechette, V, Curry, C.D, Ji, H, Gowdar, R, Chaudhuri, D, Meucci, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Publishing Group 01-01-2015
• Subjects: Aerobic exercises; Aldosterone; Arteries; Care and treatment; Control; Hypertension; Physiological aspects
• ISSN: 0950-9240
• DOI: 10.1038/jhh.2014.33

Obesity-related hypertension is associated with increased activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), increasing arterial stiffness. Aerobic exercise decreases pulse wave velocity (PWV), therefore a treatment option for hypertension and obesity. Assess RAAS activity and PWV before and after 4 weeks of aerobic training in unmedicated, pre-to-stage-1 hypertensives. Ten obese subjects (52 ± 3.2 years, body mass index = 33.5 ± 1.4) performed 30 min of aerobic exercise on a treadmill 3 days per week at 65% of peak oxygen consumption (V[O.sub.2peak]). Descriptive characteristics, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), PWV, and a blood draw was performed at baseline, following the 4-week control and training interventions. No differences in descriptive characteristics during the control period were observed, however, a significant decrease in plasma aldosterone (ALDO) (255.4 ± 75 to 215.8 ± 66 pg ml_ 1, P = 0.001), SBP (140 ± 12 to 136 ± 10.4 mm Hg; P = 0.02), DBP (89 ± 4.2 to 85 ± 6.3 mm Hg; P = 0.03) and central PWV (11.2 [+ or -] 0.6 to 9.8 ± 0.8 m [s.sup.-1]; P = 0.04) was shown pre-to-post exercise training. Four weeks of moderate-intensity aerobic training in obese, hypertensives decreases plasma ALDO independently of body weight and is significantly correlated to decreases in PWV reductions. Journal of Human Hypertension (2015) 29, 53-57; doi: 10.1038/jhh.2014.33; published online 1 May 2014