The Effects of Swimming on Elderly Women With Stage-2 Hypertension

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Menopause; Hypertension
• Interventions: Behavioral: Swimming

• Registration Number: NCT03546270
• Lead Sponsor: Pusan National University

Brief Summary

Aging is associated with progressive decreases in arterial health and function as well as overall fitness. It is crucial to prevent or reduce the negative effects of aging on the vasculature and fitness components by implementing appropriate lifestyle interventions, such as exercise training. We examined the effects of a swimming (SWM) regimen on arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity, PWV), blood pressure (BP), wave reflection (AIx), muscle strength and aerobic capacity in elderly women with stage 2 hypertension.

Detailed Description

Using a parallel experimental design, participants were randomly assigned to either SWM (n=52) or non-exercising control group (n=48) for 20 weeks. Participant in the SWM group trained 3-4 days/week, progressing in duration from 25 to 45 min. Participants' carotid to radial PWV (crPWV), systolic and diastolic BP, AIx, strength and VO2max were measured at baseline and after 20 weeks of their assigned intervention.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2017-01
• Primary Completion: 2018-01
• Study Completion: 2018-04
• Study First Submitted: 2018-05-22
• Study First Submitted QC: 2018-06-03
• Study First Posted: 2018-06-06
• Results First Submitted: 2019-03-27
• Results First Submitted QC: 2019-06-21
• Results First Posted: 2019-08-05
• Status Verified: 2020-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2020-10-30
• Last Update Posted: 2020-11-18

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 100

Inclusion Criteria

• systolic/diastolic BP: 140-179 over 90-119 mm Hg
• had experienced the absence of menstruation for at least 1 year
• body mass index <30 kg/m2
• <1 h of regular exercise per week in the previous year

Exclusion Criteria

• Smoker
• Taking any medications or hormone therapy in previous year

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Swimming	Swimming	Participants performed SWM training (combination of free style, breast stroke, and backstroke) for 20 weeks. For the first 5 weeks subjects swam 25-30 minutes/day, 3-4 days/week at \~60% of maximal heart rate. As their overall level of fitness and exercise skill improved, the intensity and duration of exercise increased to 40-45 minutes/day, 3-4 days/week at an intensity of 70-75% of the HRmax. Target HR was adjusted based on the observation that maximal heart rate during SWM is approximately 12 beats/min lower than that during running. Each subject was instructed to swim continuously except during the time needed for checking a target heart rate

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Arterial Stiffness	20-weeks	via Pulse Wave Velocity

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Muscular Strength	20-weeks	via Hand Grip Dynamometer
Pressure Wave Reflection	20-weeks	via Augmentation Index
Cardiorespiratory Endurance (Volume of Maximal Oxygen Consumption)	20-weeks	via Cornell Modified Bruce treadmill volume of oxygen consumption maximum (VO2max) test
Diastolic Blood Pressure	20 weeks
Systolic Blood Pressure	20-weeks	systolic blood pressure