Obesity does not alter vascular function and handgrip exercise hemodynamics in middle-aged patients with hypertension

Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2023 Oct 16. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00105.2023. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTLifestyle modification including exercise training is often the first line of defense in the treatment of obesity and hypertension (HTN), however, little is known regarding how these potentially compounding disease states impact vasodilatory and hemodynamic responses at baseline and exercise. Therefore, this study sought to compare the impact of obesity on vascular function and hemodynamics at baseline and during handgrip (HG) exercise among individuals with HTN. Non-Obese (13M/7F, 56±16y, 25±4kg/m2) and Obese (17M/4F, 50±7y, 35±4kg/m2) middle-aged individuals with HTN forwent antihypertensive medication use for ≥2 weeks prior to assessment of vascular function by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and exercise hemodynamics during progressive HG exercise at 15-30-45% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). FMD was not different between Non-Obese (4.1±1.7%) and Obese (5.2±1.9%, P=0.11). Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was elevated by ~15% during supine baseline and during HG exercise in the Obese group. The blood flow response to HG exercise at 30% and 45% MVC was ~20% greater (P<0.05) in the obese group, but not different after normalizing for the higher, albeit, non-significant differences in workloads (MVC: Obese: 24±5kg, Non-Obese: 21±5kg, P=0.11). Vascular conductance and the brachial artery shear-induced vasodilatory response during HG wer...
Source: American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology - Category: Physiology Authors: Source Type: research