Effects of exercise training on home blood pressure values in older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effects of exercise training on the blood pressure (BP) values of older adults, using home blood pressure measurement.

DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of thirty-nine free-living older adults (including 19 men) aged from 60-81 years with home systolic blood pressure > 120 mmHg and without significant cardiopulmonary-musculoskeletal disease, were randomly allocated to either 25 weeks of exercise training (exercise group) or to a control program (control group).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Change in the 2-week averages of home systolic and diastolic blood pressure values measured with a validated automatic device before, during and after the intervention period.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, the exercise group showed a significant decrease in values for home systolic blood pressure (maximum between-group difference = 7.7 mmHg, P = 0.003) and home diastolic blood pressure (4.2 mmHg, P = 0.001). These changes were observed for both genders.

CONCLUSIONS

Exercise training was effective for older adults in lowering home blood pressure values. This is the first trial to demonstrate the usefulness of home blood pressure measurement in examining the effect of exercise training on blood pressure values.