BACKGROUND: Despite antihypertensive therapy, it is difficult to maintain optimal systemic blood pressure (BP) values in hypertensive patients (HPT). Exercise may reduce BP in untreated HPT. However, evidence regarding its effect in long-term antihypertensive therapy is lacking. Our purpose was to evaluate the acute effects of 40-minute continuous (CE) or interval exercise (IE) using cycle ergometers on BP in long-term treated HPT. METHODS: Fifty-two treated HPT were randomized to CE (n = 26) or IE (n = 26) protocols. CE was performed at 60% of reserve heart rate (HR). IE alternated consecutively 2 min at 50% reserve HR with 1 min at 80%. Two 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring were made after exercise (postexercise) or a nonexercise control period (control) in random order. RESULTS: CE reduced mean 24-h systolic (S) BP (2.6 +/- 6.6 mmHg, p = 0.05) and diastolic (D) BP (2.3 +/- 4.6, p = 0.01), and nighttime SBP (4.8 +/- 6.4, p < 0.001) and DBP (4.6 +/- 5.2 mmHg, p = 0.001). IE reduced 24-h SBP (2.8 +/- 6.5, p = 0.03) and nighttime SBP (3.4 +/- 7.2, p = 0.02), and tended to reduce nighttime DBP (p = 0.06). Greater reductions occurred in higher BP levels. Percentage of normal ambulatory BP values increased after CE (24-h: 42% to 54%; daytime: 42% to 61%; nighttime: 61% to 69%) and IE (24-h: 31% to 46%; daytime: 54% to 61%; nighttime: 46% to 69%). CONCLUSION: CE and IE reduced ambulatory BP in treated HPT, increasing the number of patients reaching normal ambulatory BP values. These effects suggest that continuous and interval aerobic exercise may have a role in BP management in treated HPT.

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