PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to compare the effects of fractionized aerobic exercise (three 10-min exercise sessions) and continuous exercise (one 30-min exercise session) on 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP). METHODS: Eleven healthy prehypertensive subjects (28.3 +/- 8.0 (SD) yr) completed three randomly assigned conditions: (1) three 10-min sessions of aerobic exercise (3x10 min), (2) one continuous 30-min session of aerobic exercise (1x30 min), and (3) a nonexercise control trial (control). The mode of exercise was walking on a motor-driven treadmill at 75% to 79% of maximum heart rate (HRmax) (60% to 65% VO2peak). Twenty-four-hour ABP was monitored with an automated ABP device (Oscar 2; SunTech Medical, Morrisville, NC). Linear mixed models were used to compare 24-h ABP responses between trials. RESULTS: The mean +/- SD 24-h systolic blood pressure (SBP) was significantly lower during the 3x10-min trial (127 +/- 15 mmHg) compared with control (130 +/- 15 mmHg) (p < 0.001). Although both 3x10-min and 1x30-min trials reduced SBP compared with control during daytime/evening (13:00 to 23:00 h), only the 3x10-min trial reduced SBP during nighttime (23:00 to 08:00 h, 118 +/- 16 versus 122 +/- 14 mmHg, p = 0.024) and the following morning (08:00 to 12:00 h, 127 +/- 15 versus 131 +/- 15 mmHg, p = 0.016). For 24 h, 26.7% of SBP values during 3x10 min were normal (ie, < 120 mmHg) compared with 18.3% for 1x30 min and 19.4% for control (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In prehypertensive individuals, fractionized exercise (eg, three 10-min aerobic exercise sessions spread and effective exercise alternative to continuous exercise for cardiovascular risk reduction in this population.

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