Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease (Feb 2023)

The Relationship between Postexercise Hypotension and Heart Rate Variability before and after Exercise Training

  • Burak T. Cilhoroz,
  • Amanda Zaleski,
  • Beth Taylor,
  • Antonio B. Fernandez,
  • Lucas P. Santos,
  • Thijs Vonk,
  • Paul D. Thompson,
  • Linda S. Pescatello

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd10020064
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 2
p. 64

Abstract

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Because data are scarce, we examined the relationship between postexercise hypotension (PEH) and heart rate variability (HRV) before and after aerobic exercise training among adults with hypertension. Participants completed a 12 w aerobic training program. Before and after training, they performed a peak graded exercise stress test (GEST) and nonexercise control (CONTROL) and were left attached to an ambulatory BP monitor. Prior to CONTROL, HRV was measured supine for 5 min using a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). The participants (n = 18) were middle-aged (52.1 ± 11.7 y) and 50% men with hypertension (131.7 ± 9.8/85.9 ± 8.5 mmHg) and obesity (30.0 ± 3.7 kg·m−2). Before training, ambulatory systolic BP (ASBP) and diastolic ABP (ADBP) decreased by 3.2 ± 2.1 mmHg and 2.5 ± 1.5 mmHg, respectively, from baseline after the GEST versus CONTROL (p p = 0.055) and ADBP decreased by 1.7 ± 2.5 mmHg (p = 0.001) from baseline after the GEST versus CONTROL. Before training, HRV high frequency (HFms2) (β = −0.441), age (β = 0.568), and resting SBP (β = 0.504) accounted for 66.8% of the ASBP response (p = 0.001), whereas the low frequency (LF)/HF ratio (β = 0.516) and resting DBP (β = 0.277) accounted for 35.7% of the ADBP response (p = 0.037). After training, the standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN) (β = −0.556), age (β = 0.506), and resting SBP (β = 0.259) accounted for 60.7% of the ASBP response (p = 0.004), whereas SDNN (β = −0.236) and resting DBP (β = 0.785) accounted for 58.5% of the ADBP response (p = 0.001). Our preliminary findings show that adults with hypertension and parasympathetic suppression (i.e., lower SDNN and HFms2 and higher LF/HF) may elicit PEH to the greatest degree independent of training status versus adults with parasympathetic predominance, suggesting that resting HRV may be an important determinant of PEH.

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