Six months of unsupervised exercise training lowers blood pressure during moderate, but not vigorous, aerobic exercise in adults with well-healed burn injuries

Joseph C. Watso, Steven A. Romero, Gilbert Moralez, Mu Huang, Matthew N. Cramer, Elias Johnson, Craig G. Crandall

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Exercise training reduces cardiovascular disease risk, partly due to arterial blood pressure (BP) lowering at rest and during fixed-load exercise. However, it is unclear whether exercise training can reduce BP at rest and during exercise in adults with well-healed burn injuries. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to test the hypothesis that 6 mo of unsupervised exercise training reduces BP at rest and during lower-body cycle ergometry in adults with well-healed burn injuries. Thirty-nine adults (28 with well-healed burn injuries and 11 controls) completed 6 mo of unsupervised, progressive exercise training including endurance, resistance, and high-intensity interval components. Before and after exercise training, we measured BP at rest, during fixed-load submaximal exercise (50 and 75 W), during fixed-intensity submaximal exercise (40% and 70% of V̇O2peak), and during maximal exercise on a lower-body cycle ergometer. We compared cardiovascular variables using two-way ANOVA (group × pre/ postexercise training [repeated factor]). Adults with well-healed burn injuries had higher diastolic BP at rest (P = 0.04), which was unchanged by exercise training (P = 0.26). Exercise training reduced systolic, mean, and diastolic BP during fixed-load cycling exercise at 75 W in adults with well-healed burn injuries (P ≤ 0.03 for all), but not controls (P ≥ 0.67 for all). Exercise training also reduced mean and diastolic BP during exercise at 40% (P ≤ 0.02 for both), but not at 70% (P ≥ 0.18 for both), of V_ O2peak. These data suggest that a 6-mo unsupervised exercise training program lowers BP during moderate, but not vigorous, aerobic exercise in adults with well-healed burn injuries.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)742-754
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of applied physiology
Volume133
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2022

Keywords

  • cardiac output
  • cardioprotection
  • exercise hypertension
  • heart rate
  • rate pressure product

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Physiology (medical)

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