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Effects of age on arterial stiffness and central blood pressure after an acute bout of resistance exercise

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the influence of age on arterial stiffness and blood pressure after performing a resistance exercise bout.

Methods

Recreationally active men were separated into young (YG, n = 12, 26.5 ± 3.3 years), middle (MG, n = 14, 49.4 ± 5.7 years), and old (OG, n = 10, 67.4 ± 6.3 years)-aged groups. In a randomized cross-over design, participants performed control and exercise conditions with at least 3 days separating conditions. The exercise condition consisted of leg press, chest press, knee flexion, lat pulldown and knee extension at ~65 % one-repetition maximum for three sets of 10 repetitions. Brachial and central blood pressures, augmented pressure, augmentation index, central and peripheral pulse wave velocities were measured prior to each condition and starting at 5 min post-exercise.

Results

Brachial systolic blood pressure (SBP) significantly increased similarly after exercise for all age groups (YG, 8 ± 8 mmHg; MG, 5 ± 5 mmHg; OG, 5 ± 6 mmHg; p < 0.05). However, central SBP did not significantly increase for any age group after exercise. Augmentation index significantly increased after exercise only in the YG (11 ± 8 %, p < 0.05). Central pulse wave velocity did not significantly increase in any age group after exercise when compared to the control condition.

Conclusions

When performing a whole body moderate resistance exercise bout, acute changes in arterial stiffness and blood pressure appear to be minimally affected by age.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

AP_75:

Augmented pressure adjusted for a heart rate of 75 bpm

AIx_75:

Augmentation index adjusted for a heart rate of 75 bpm

BMI:

Body mass index

bDBP:

Brachial Diastolic blood pressure

bSBP:

Brachial Systolic blood pressure

cDBP:

Central Diastolic blood pressure

cSBP:

Central Systolic blood pressure

cPWV:

Central pulse wave velocity

CON:

Control condition

ECG:

Electrocardiogram

EX:

Exercise condition

MG:

Middle-aged group

1-RM:

One-repetition maximum

OG:

Old-aged group

pPWV:

Peripheral pulse wave velocity

YG:

Young-aged group

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the University of Oklahoma for the Robberson Travel and Research Grant and all of the individuals who took the time to participate in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Texas Wesleyan University, Fort Worth, TX, USA

    Robert S. Thiebaud

  2. Lindenwood University-Belleville, Belleville, IL, USA

    Christopher A. Fahs & Lindy M. Rossow

  3. University of Mississippi, University, MS, USA

    Jeremy P. Loenneke

  4. University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA

    Daeyeol Kim, J. Grant Mouser, Travis W. Beck, Debra A. Bemben, Rebecca D. Larson & Michael G. Bemben

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  1. Robert S. Thiebaud
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  2. Christopher A. Fahs
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  3. Lindy M. Rossow
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Correspondence to Robert S. Thiebaud.

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Communicated by Massimo Pagani.

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Thiebaud, R.S., Fahs, C.A., Rossow, L.M. et al. Effects of age on arterial stiffness and central blood pressure after an acute bout of resistance exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 116, 39–48 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3242-5

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