BACKGROUND: Short-term blood pressure (BP) variability (BPV), measured by 24h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM), has been independently related to a higher risk of cardiovascular events and target organ in hypertensive patients The aim of this study was to compare the effects of two different exercise modalities on BPV in hypertensive patients enrolled in a cardiac rehabilitation program. METHODS: This study is a randomized trial, with two intervention arms: aerobic training (AT) and combined aerobic and resistance training (CT). We studied 55 males patients with hypertension, randomly assigned either to AT or CT group. The training program lasted 12 weeks for each group. Short term BP variability was evaluated by means of average real variability (ARV), at baseline and after 12 weeks, by 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring. RESULTS: Systolic and diastolic 24-h BP values decreased significantly (p < 0.01) in both groups, without between groups differences (p = 0.11). 24-h systolic BP variability decreased in both groups (AT from 8.4 +/- 1.2 to 7.6 +/- 0.8; CT from 8.8 +/- 1.5 to 7.1 +/- 1.1) with a greater decrease in CT (p = 0.02). Nighttime systolic BP variability decreased in CT (from 9.4 +/- 1.3 to 8.3 +/- 1.2, p = 0.03) and remained unchanged in AT (from 9.5 +/- 1.2 to 9.4 +/- 1.4). Day-time BP variability decreased in both groups without between groups differences (p = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: CT was more effective than AT in reducing short-term BP variability in hypertensive patients while both exercise modalities reduced BP to a same extent. CT appears to be a more appropriate exercise modality if the objective is to reduce BP variability in addition to BP levels.

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