Effects of cycling bouts performed with different intensities and amounts of energy expended on central pressure and pulse wave reflection in normotensive and hypertensive men.

OBJECTIVE This study investigated pulse wave analysis in normotensive and hypertensive men after cycling bouts with different intensities and amounts of energy expended. METHODS Twenty-four men were assigned into normotensive (n = 14; age: 40.7 ± 2.8 years; 24-h ambulatory SBP/DBP:121 ± 2/74 ± 1 mmHg) and hypertensive (n = 10; age: 39.2 ± 2.3 years; 24-h ambulatory SBP/DBP:139 ± 3/86 ± 2 mmHg) groups. Participants undertook a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test, a nonexercise control session (CTL) and three cycling bouts [two prolonged bouts expending 300 kcal at 50% (i.e. P-MOD) and 70% (i.e. P-VIG) oxygen uptake reserve (VO2R) and one short bout expending 150 kcal at 50% VO2R (i.e. S-MOD)] performed in a randomized order. Central SBP (cSBP), pulse pressure (cPP), augmentation pressure, augmentation index (AIx), heart rate (HR) and AIx adjusted for HR (AIx@75) were determined 10 min before, and 30- and 70-min postintervention. RESULTS Compared to CTL, only the P-VIG changed the cSBP [70-min (Δ -11.7 mmHg)], cPP [70-min (Δ:-7.4 mmHg)], augmentation pressure [30-min (Δ:-5.7 mmHg); 70-min (Δ:-7.3 mmHg)], AIx [30-min (Δ:-15.3 %); 70-min (Δ:-16.4 %)], AIx@75 [30-min (Δ:-12.8 %); 70-min (Δ:-13.9 %)] and HR [70-min (Δ: 9.9 bpm)] in the hypertensive group. However, all exercise bouts mitigated the increased cSBP responses post-CTL in the hypertensive group. CONCLUSION The present study provides evidence that vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise reduces acute central pressure and pulse wave reflection in hypertensive men.