Postexercise Hypotension after Heart Transplant: Water- versus Land-Based Exercise.
Castro RE, Guimaraes GV, et al.Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 2016 May; 48(5): 804-10
Aims
To analyse the acute effects of heated water-based exercise (HEx) versus land-based exercise (LEx) on ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) in heart transplant recipients (HTx).
Interventions
Participants were randomised to receive one of three treatments, either HEx, LEx or non-exercise control (CON).
Participants
18 stable HTx aged 20-60 years
Outcomes
The primary outcome was 24-hour ABP monitoring data, measured as average 24-hour, daytime and nighttime periods for systolic and diastolic BP, and average of the hourly BP measurements.
Follow-up
24 hours
CET Conclusions
In this small study from San Paulo, patients who were stable after a heart transplant were entered into a three-way cross-over study. The three arms involved water-based exercise, land-based exercise on a treadmill and a control group who were just sitting. Both exercise groups showed a reduction in ambulatory blood pressure following exercise in contrast to the control group. The authors conclude that the reduction ambulatory blood pressure of heart transplant recipients with a single bout of exercise suggested this is an appropriate management protocol. They were not able to show that this was a long-term effect although one expects it may be.
Data analysis
Per protocol analysis
Trial registration
None