Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

Exercise intensity modulates nitric oxide and blood pressure responses in hypertensive older women

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Aging Clinical and Experimental Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background and aims

Whether intensity or other characteristics of physical activity can better promote the release of nitric oxide (NO) and reduction of blood pressure in hypertensive older-adults is still unknown. In this study, the post-exercise blood pressure (BP) response and NO release after different intensities of aerobic exercise in elderly women were analyzed.

Methods

Blood pressure response and NO were analyzed in 23 elderly mildly hypertensive women. Participants underwent (1) high-intensity incremental exercise (IT); (2) moderate-intensity 20 min exercise at 90 % of the anaerobic threshold (AT), and (3) control (CONT) session. BP was measured before and after interventions; volunteers remained seated for 1 h. NO estimates were made through NO2 − analyses.

Results

After CONT session, both diastolic BP and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were significantly higher than during pre-exercise resting. Post-exercise hypotension (PEH) was observed after exercise at IT and 90 % of AT. Although exercise in both sessions lowered SBP and MAP compared with CONT, exercise at the highest intensity (IT) was more effective on lowering systolic BP after exercise. In comparison with pre-exercise resting, NO2 − increased significantly only after IT, but both exercise sessions caused NO2 − to increase compared with CONT.

Conclusion

Exercise intensity and NO release may exert a role in eliciting PEH in mildly hypertensive elderly women.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  1. Chobanian AV, Bakris GL, Black HR et al (2003) Seventh report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Hypertension 42:1206–1252

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Pereira AC, Sposito AC, Mota GF et al (2006) Endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene variant modulates the relationship between serum cholesterol levels and blood pressure in the general population: new evidence for a direct effect of lipids in arterial blood pressure. Atherosclerosis 184:193–200

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Arnal JF, Fontaine C, Billon-Gales A et al (2010) Estrogen receptors and endothelium. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 30:1506–1512

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Celermajer DS, Sorensen KE, Spiegelhalter DJ, Georgakopoulos D, Robinson J, Deanfield JE (1994) Aging is associated with endothelial dysfunction in healthy men years before the age-related decline in women. J Am Coll Cardiol 24:471–476

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Reckelhoff JF (2001) Gender differences in the regulation of blood pressure. Hypertension 37:1199–1208

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kenney MJ, Seals DR (1993) Postexercise hypotension. Key features, mechanisms, and clinical significance. Hypertension 22:653–664

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Goto C, Nishioka K, Umemura T et al (2007) Acute moderate-intensity exercise induces vasodilation through an increase in nitric oxide bioavailability in humans. Am J Hypertens 20:825–830

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Lauer T, Heiss C, Balzer J et al (2008) Age-dependent endothelial dysfunction is associated with failure to increase plasma nitrite in response to exercise. Basic Res Cardiol 103:291–297

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Duncan GE, Anton SD, Sydeman SJ et al (2005) Prescribing exercise at varied levels of intensity and frequency: a randomized trial. Arch Intern Med 165:2362–2369

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Pescatello LS, Franklin BA, Fagard R, Farquhar WB, Kelley GA, Ray CA (2004) American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and hypertension. Med Sci Sports Exerc 36:533–553

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Lima LC, Assis GV, Hiyane W et al (2008) Hypotensive effects of exercise performed around anaerobic threshold in type 2 diabetic patients. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 81:216–222

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Nobrega OT, Faleiros VP, Telles JL (2009) Gerontology in the developing Brazil: achievements and challenges in public policies. Ger Gerontol Intern 9:135–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Borg GA (1982) Psychophysical bases of perceived exertion. Med Sci Sports Exerc 14:377–381

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Cordova C, Silva VC, Moraes CF, Simoes HG, Nobrega OT (2009) Acute exercise performed close to the anaerobic threshold improves cognitive performance in elderly females. Braz J Med Biol Res 42:458–464

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Tsikas D (2007) Analysis of nitrite and nitrate in biological fluids by assays based on the Griess reaction: appraisal of the Griess reaction in the l-arginine/nitric oxide area of research. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 851:51–70

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Crecelius AR, Kirby BS, Voyles WF, Dinenno FA (2010) Nitric oxide, but not vasodilating prostaglandins, contributes to the improvement of exercise hyperemia via ascorbic acid in healthy older adults. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 299:H1633–H1641

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Toda N, Imamura T, Okamura T (2010) Alteration of nitric oxide-mediated blood flow regulation in diabetes mellitus. Pharmacol Ther 127:189–209

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Lauer T, Preik M, Rassaf T et al (2001) Plasma nitrite rather than nitrate reflects regional endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity but lacks intrinsic vasodilator action. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98:12814–12819

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Chen X, Niroomand F, Liu Z et al (2006) Expression of nitric oxide related enzymes in coronary heart disease. Basic Res Cardiol 101:346–353

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Freitas WM, Quaglia LA, Santos SN et al (2011) Association of systemic inflammatory activity with coronary and carotid atherosclerosis in the very elderly. Atherosclerosis 216:212–216

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Huang X, Yang P, Du Y, Zhang J, Ma A (2007) Age-related down-regulation of HCN channels in rat sinoatrial node. Basic Res Cardiol 102:429–435

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Turcato S, Turnbull L, Wang GY et al (2006) Ischemic preconditioning depends on age and gender. Basic Res Cardiol 101:235–243

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Weinsaft JW, Edelberg JM (2001) Aging-associated changes in vascular activity: a potential link to geriatric cardiovascular disease. Am J Geriatr Cardiol 10:348–354

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Seals DR, Desouza CA, Donato AJ, Tanaka H (2008) Habitual exercise and arterial aging. J Appl Physiol 105:1323–1332

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Galetta F, Franzoni F, Plantinga Y et al (2006) Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and endothelium-dependent vasodilation in the elderly athletes. Biomed Pharmacother 60:443–447

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Pescatello LS, Guidry MA, Blanchard BE et al (2004) Exercise intensity alters postexercise hypotension. J Hypertens 22:1881–1888

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Miyado T, Tanaka Y, Nagai H et al (2004) Simultaneous determination of nitrate and nitrite in biological fluids by capillary electrophoresis and preliminary study on their determination by microchip capillary electrophoresis. J Chromatogr A 1051:185–191

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Tanaka H, Dinenno FA, Monahan KD, Clevenger CM, DeSouza CA, Seals DR (2000) Aging, habitual exercise, and dynamic arterial compliance. Circulation 102:1270–1275

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Gaspar A, Juhasz P, Bagyi K (2005) Application of capillary zone electrophoresis to the analysis and to a stability study of nitrite and nitrate in saliva. J Chromatogr A 1065:327–331

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Proteggente AR, Pannala AS, Paganga G et al (2002) The antioxidant activity of regularly consumed fruit and vegetables reflects their phenolic and vitamin C composition. Free Radic Res 36:217–233

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by CNPq grants (#484318/2006-3 to O.T. Nóbrega and #478946/2008-2 to H.G. Simões). Drs. H.G. Simões, O.T. Nóbrega and A.C. Sposito were supported by fellowships for productivity in research from CNPq. The authors would like to thank Vanessa Neves de Oliveira (Department of Morphology, UFJF and Institute of Genetics and Biochemistry, UFU) for helping in the analyses.

Conflict of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program in Physical Education and Health, Catholic University of Brasília, Q.S. 07, lote 01, EPCT, Águas Claras, Taguatinga, Brasília, DF, CEP 71966-700, Brazil

    Hugo A. P. Santana, Sérgio R. Moreira, Ricardo Y. Asano, Marcelo M. Sales, Cláudio Córdova, Carmen S. G. Campbell & Herbert G. Simões

  2. Institute of Genetics and Biochemistry, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil

    Foued S. Espindola

  3. Faculty of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil

    Andrei C. Sposito

  4. Graduate Program in Medical Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil

    Otávio T. Nóbrega

Authors
  1. Hugo A. P. Santana
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sérgio R. Moreira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ricardo Y. Asano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  4. Marcelo M. Sales
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  5. Cláudio Córdova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  6. Carmen S. G. Campbell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  7. Foued S. Espindola
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  8. Andrei C. Sposito
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  9. Otávio T. Nóbrega
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  10. Herbert G. Simões
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Hugo A. P. Santana or Herbert G. Simões.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Santana, H.A.P., Moreira, S.R., Asano, R.Y. et al. Exercise intensity modulates nitric oxide and blood pressure responses in hypertensive older women. Aging Clin Exp Res 25, 43–48 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-013-0017-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-013-0017-x

Keywords

Profiles

  1. Hugo A. P. Santana View author profile