Abstract des Autors

It is known that regular dynamic physical activity can lower blood pressure. However, a number of studies have shown that regular dynamic physical activity is not effective in all hypertensive patients investigated. In order to identify the factors limiting its effectiveness, a study was performed on 35 borderline hypertensive patients at the first OMS stage (10 females, 25 males) in the age range from 30 to 52 who undertook to engage in regular physical activity for a period of 6 months. Training sessions (3 times a week) consisted of 45-60 minutes of running at an average speed of 1 km every 6-7 minutes. At the end of follow-up, 22 patients had withdrawn (females 9/10; males 13/25). Out of 13 patients who completed follow-up, normalization of blood pressure values with statistically significant percent decrements (-delta%) in clinical diastolic blood pressure (cDBP) was obtained in 6 subjects (responder group or R), while no significant reduction was achieved in the other 7 (non responder group or NR) (-delta% cDBP R: -6.5% vs NR -1.8%, p<0.05). In addition a statistically significant increase in HDL-cholesterol was observed in non-smokers as compared to smokers (+delta% HDL-C: no smokers 5.8% vs smokers 1.1%, p<0.05). Step-wise multiple regression analysis with percent modifications of cDBP and HDL-cholesterol as dependent variables and body mass index (BMI), age and cigarette smoking as independent variables showed that smoking was the variable carrying the greatest weight in inducing a negative prediction concerning the anti-hypertensive and hypolipidemic effect of physical activity. These data therefore suggest that the benefits of physical activity on blood pressure and lipid profile are more evident in no-smokers as compared to smokers. Verf.-Referat