Post-exercise aortic hemodynamic responses to low-intensity resistance exercise with and without vascular occlusion.

High-intensity resistance exercise may acutely increase arterial stiffness. Vascular occlusion (VO) acutely decreases arterial stiffness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate acute aortic hemodynamic responses to low-intensity resistance exercise (LIRE) with slow eccentric movement with and without VO. Twenty-three young healthy subjects (12 women and 11 men) were randomized into three trials: seated control (CON), LIRE (six sets at 40% one repetition maximum), and LIRE with VO. Vascular measurements were assessed before, immediately (post1), and 30 min after (post30) each trial. There were significant (P<0.05) time effects and trial-by-time interactions such that the changes were greater after the LIRE trials compared with CON. Aortic blood pressure [systolic (∼10 mmHg) and diastolic (∼5 mmHg)], heart rate (∼23 b.p.m.), and the first (∼10 mmHg) and second systolic peak (∼9 mmHg) increased, whereas time to reflection decreased (∼15 ms) at post1. All measurements returned to baseline at post30, except aortic augmentation index (AIx), which decreased ∼5% after the LIRE trials compared with CON. Increases in cardiovascular variables immediately after the LIRE trials were mild and short lasting. Our results indicate that LIRE acutely decreases AIx 30 min after exercise cessation. The use of moderate intermittent VO during LIRE does not produce additional post-exercise vascular effects.