Effects of different weekly frequencies of combined training on blood pressure variability in aging adults with hypertension
- 1Postgraduate Program in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Science, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul , , ,
Abstract
Background: Elevated blood pressure (BP) variability is associated with cardiovascular mortality, independent of mean BP levels. While exercise may influence short-term BP variability, evidence remains inconclusive, and the impact of different weekly training frequencies is unknown.
Purpose: To compare the effects of a pragmatic combined training (CT) intervention performed twice vs. four times per week on short-term BP variability in older adults with hypertension.
Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, men and women aged 50–80 years were assigned to CT twice (CT-2) or four (CT-4) times per week for 12 weeks. The protocol adopted a pragmatic approach, utilizing a weekly exercise dosage: 120–160 min/week and intensity by perceived exertion (4–6). Total volume and overload were matched between groups. Short-term BP variability was assessed via average real variability (ARV) and standard deviation (SD) for 24-hour, daytime, and nighttime periods.
Results: Forty-seven participants (CT-2: n = 27; CT-4: n = 20) with ≥80% attendance were analyzed. No significant group × time interactions were observed. However, both CT-4 and CT-2 significantly reduced 24-hour systolic ARV (CT-4: −2 ± 1 mmHg, P = 0.003; CT-2: −1 ± 1 mmHg, P = 0.032) and daytime systolic ARV (CT-4: −3 ± 1 mmHg, P = 0.008; CT-2: −2 ± 1 mmHg, P = 0.019). Only CT-2 showed reduced daytime diastolic ARV (−1 ± 1 mmHg; P = 0.016). SD-based indices remained unchanged.
Conclusion: Twelve weeks of combined training was not associated with statistically significant differences in short-term BP variability between training frequency groups (2 vs. 4) among aging adults with hypertension. Reductions in short-term systolic BP variability were observed over time in both training groups.
Clinical Trial Registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04218903, NCT04218903.
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BibTeX
@article{domingues2026effects,
title = {{Effects of different weekly frequencies of combined training on blood pressure variability in aging adults with hypertension}},
author = {Lucas Betti Domingues and Vinícius Mallmann Schneider and Leandro Carpes and Sandra C. Fuchs and Rodrigo Ferrari},
journal = {Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fresc.2026.1925760},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13724428},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Effects of different weekly frequencies of combined training on blood pressure variability in aging adults with hypertension
AU - Lucas Betti Domingues
AU - Vinícius Mallmann Schneider
AU - Leandro Carpes
AU - Sandra C. Fuchs
AU - Rodrigo Ferrari
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
JO - Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences
DO - 10.3389/fresc.2026.1925760
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13724428
AB - Background: Elevated blood pressure (BP) variability is associated with cardiovascular mortality, independent of mean BP levels. While exercise may influence short-term BP variability, evidence remains inconclusive, and the impact of different weekly training frequencies is unknown. Purpose: To compare the effects of a pragmatic combined training (CT) intervention performed twice vs. four times per week on short-term BP variability in older adults with hypertension. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, men and women aged 50–80 years were assigned to CT twice (CT-2) or four (CT-4) times per week for 12 weeks. The protocol adopted a pragmatic approach, utilizing a weekly exercise dosage: 120–160 min/week and intensity by perceived exertion (4–6). Total volume and overload were matched between groups. Short-term BP variability was assessed via average real variability (ARV) and standard deviation (SD) for 24-hour, daytime, and nighttime periods. Results: Forty-seven participants (CT-2: n = 27; CT-4: n = 20) with ≥80% attendance were analyzed. No significant group × time interactions were observed. However, both CT-4 and CT-2 significantly reduced 24-hour systolic ARV (CT-4: −2 ± 1 mmHg, P = 0.003; CT-2: −1 ± 1 mmHg, P = 0.032) and daytime systolic ARV (CT-4: −3 ± 1 mmHg, P = 0.008; CT-2: −2 ± 1 mmHg, P = 0.019). Only CT-2 showed reduced daytime diastolic ARV (−1 ± 1 mmHg; P = 0.016). SD-based indices remained unchanged. Conclusion: Twelve weeks of combined training was not associated with statistically significant differences in short-term BP variability between training frequency groups (2 vs. 4) among aging adults with hypertension. Reductions in short-term systolic BP variability were observed over time in both training groups. Clinical Trial Registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04218903, NCT04218903.
SN - 2673-6861
ER -