Hypertension, a primary and preventable risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney disease, may be ameliorated by non-pharmacological lifestyle interventions such as aerobic exercise and heat therapy. While both interventions have been demonstrated to reduce blood pressure in a variety of populations, there are no studies that have directly compared these methods for lowering blood pressure in adults with untreated hypertension. Forty-one adults (48 (35 to 56) y) were randomized to complete either 30 sessions of aerobic exercise training (n = 20) or heat therapy (n = 21) over 8 to 10 weeks. Ambulatory and in-clinic blood pressure and markers of cardiorespiratory fitness, arterial stiffness, and renal function were measured at baseline (PRE) and after 30 heat therapy or exercise training sessions (POST). 24-h ambulatory systolic blood pressure was not different following either aerobic exercise (PRE: 139 (134 to 144) versus POST: 140 (134 to 145) mmHg; p = 0.65) or heat therapy (134 (128 to 139) versus 134 (128 to 139); p = 0.81) nor was 24-h ambulatory diastolic blood pressure after aerobic exercise (PRE: 85 (81 to 89) versus POST: 86 (83 to 90) mmHg; p = 0.28) or heat therapy (81 (78 to 85) versus 81 (77 to 85); p = 0.44). In-clinic blood pressure was similarly unchanged following both aerobic exercise and heat therapy. These pressure responses, along with arterial stiffness and kidney function biomarkers, did not differ between treatment groups (all p > 0.05). These data suggest that, during an 8- to 10-week intervention, exercise training and heat therapy have similar and limited impacts on blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and biomarkers of kidney function among adults with untreated hypertension.

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