Comparison of effects of different aerobic exercise modes on myocardial hypertrophy, autonomic nervous functions and exercise tolerance in patients with primary hypertension

  AIM  To study the effects of different aerobic exercise modes on myocardial hypertrophy, autonomic nerve function and exercise endurance in patients with essential hypertension.

  METHODS  123 patients with essential hypertension treated in Huai'an First Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from June 2018 to March 2020 were randomly divided into groups a, B and C. Group A was a quiet control group without exercise training; Group B received low and medium intensity continuous aerobic exercise training; Group C received high-intensity intermittent aerobic exercise training, which lasted for 12 weeks. The changes of blood pressure, body mass, left ventricular mass index (LVMI), left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVDD), left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT), ventricular septal thickness (ivst), autonomic nerve function and exercise endurance were compared before and after training.

  RESULTS  compared with before training, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the three groups decreased after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of training (all P<0.01); Compared with the group after 4 weeks of training, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased after 8 and 12 weeks of training (all P<0.01). Compared with the group after 8 weeks of training, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased after 12 weeks of training (all P<0.01). Compared with group A at the same time after training, systolic and diastolic blood pressure in group B and group C decreased (all P<0.01); Compared with the same period after training in group B, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure in group C decreased (all P<0.01); After training, compared with before training, LVMI and LVDD decreased in group A (all P<0.01), LVPWT and ivst decreased (all P<0.05), and body mass, LVMI, LVDD, LVPWT and ivst decreased in group B and C (all P<0.01); Compared with group A after training, the body mass, LVMI, LVDD, LVPWT and ivst of group B decreased (all P<0.05), and the body mass, LVMI, LVDD, LVPWT and ivst of group C decreased (all P<0.01); Compared with group B after training, the body mass, LVMI, LVDD, LVPWT and ivst in group C decreased (all P<0.01). After training, compared with before training, the levels of VO₂ and MetS in the three groups increased (all P<0.01); After training, compared with group A, the levels of VO₂ and MetS in group B increased (all P<0.05), and the levels of VO₂ and MetS in group C increased (all P<0.01); After training, compared with group B, the levels of VO₂ and MetS in group C increased (all P<0.01).

  CONCLUSION  High intensity intermittent aerobic exercise and medium and low intensity continuous aerobic exercise effectively reduce blood pressure, reduce body weight, improve myocardial hypertrophy and autonomic nerve function, and improve exercise endurance, and the effect of high-intensity intermittent aerobic exercise is better.