Effect of Acute High-Intensity Interval Training and Isometric Handgrip Exercise on Hemodynamic Responses in Hypertensive Women

Background: Exercise is believed to be a non-pharmacological approach to treat hypertension. The present study was conducted to investigate the impact of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and isometric handgrip (IHG) exercise on hemodynamic responses of High blood pressure women. Methods: In this experimental study 45 sedentary women (age, 45±5 years) from the Al-Zahra Heart Hospital, Shiraz-Iran (2019) with pre to stage 1 hypertension, without any chronic disease, who volunteered to participate in the research. The subjects were randomly divided into three groups of 15 members: Acute HIIT, Acute IHG exercise, and control. Blood pressure (systolic, diastolic, and mean), rate pressure product and heart rate were measured employing Aneroid Sphygmomanometer Polar HR recorder at the pre-workout time, 0 (immediately after exercise), 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60 minutes during the recovery period. The data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test. Results: Our results revealed a significant difference among the study groups regarding blood pressure factors (systolic and mean), heart rate and rate pressure product (P=0.001). The significant decrease in blood pressure in HIIT (P=0.001) and IHG (P=0.001) groups during 60 and 30 minutes of recovery was equal to 10 and 7 mmHg, respectively, and no significant difference was observed in the control group at different times. In response to the HIIT protocol, the heart rate and rate pressure product were significantly higher than the IHG and control groups. Conclusion: Over the recovery period, there was a significant improvement in hemodynamic factors of hypertensive women independent of the type of exercise. However, HIIT training had a longer lasting decrease in blood pressure.