A autora 1 participa do Programa de Iniciação Científica Voluntário da Universidade de Passo Fundo, sob orientação do Prof. Leonardo Calegari APRESENTAÇÃO abr. 2008 ACEITO PARA PUBLICAÇÃO set. 2008RESUMO: O estudo visou avaliar a influência de um programa de exercícios aquáticos sobre a aptidão cardiorrespiratória e a pressão arterial em mulheres hipertensas. Dez hipertensas participaram do programa de exercícios aquáticos -aeróbicos, de fortalecimento, alongamento e relaxamento -duas vezes por semana durante 7 semanas, totalizando 14 sessões. Foram avaliadas pelo teste de esforço cardiorrespiratório antes e após o desenvolvimento do programa. A pressão arterial foi mensurada ao repouso e aos 10, 20 e 30 minutos após o exercício em cada sessão. As variáveis cardiorrespiratórias não apresentaram alterações significativas após o programa, tanto dos valores de limiar de anaerobiose quanto os do pico de esforço. As pressões arteriais sistólica, diastólica e média de repouso permaneceram estáveis no decorrer do programa. Entretanto, no período pós-exercício, os níveis da pressão arterial sistólica (PAS) e média (PAM) foram significativamente menores, quando comparados aos valores pré-exercício: houve redução média de 6,43 mmHg da PAS e 3,08 mmHg da PAM aos 30 minutos pós-exercício. Assim, o programa de exercícios aquáticos proposto não promove ganho aeróbico efetivo, mas os resultados sugerem que exercícios aquáticos como os propostos, em intensidade próxima ao limiar de anaerobiose, desencadeiam redução dos níveis de pressão arterial no período pós-exercício, em mulheres hipertensas. DESCRITORES: Hidroterapia; Hipertensão/Terapia por exercício ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to assess the influence of an aquatic exercise program on cardiorespiratory fitness and blood pressure in hypertensive women. Ten hypertensive women took part in the study. The program consisted of aquatic aerobic, strengthening, and stretching exercises in intensity near the anaerobic threshold, besides relaxation, twice a week during 7 weeks, totalling 14 sessions. They were assessed by cardiorespiratory exercise testing before and after program development. Blood pressure was measured at rest before and at 10, 20, and 30 minutes after exercise, at the end of each session. After the hydrotherapy program, cardiorespiratory ranges did not show significant changes, neither at the anaerobic threshold nor at the effort peak. Systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), and mean (MBP) blood pressure at rest remained stable all through the program. However, SBP and MBP levels at 30-minute rest after exercises, at the end of the program, were significantly lower when compared to pre-exercise ones: there was a mean 6,43 mmHg SBP decrease and a 3,08 mmHg MBP decrease. The hydrotherapy program thus did not promote effective aerobic increase, but results suggest that the proposed exercises, performed at near-anaerobic threshold, may reduce post-exercise SBP and MBP levels in hypertensive women.

The function of the hypothalamic tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic (TIDA) neurons involved in the control of prolactin secretion was investigated in aged subjects with the use of nomifensine, an indirect-acting dopamine (DA) agonist, domperidone, a DA receptor antagonist, and DA, which acts directly on the pituitary lactotropes. In all 33 women, aged 69-92 yr, were studied. Baseline prolactin values were slightly but significantly higher in aged women (13 +/- 1.2 ng/ml, M +/- S.E.M.) than in a group of control fertile women (8 +/- 0.7 ng/ml). Oral administration of nomifensine (200 mg), in 14 aged women suppressed plasma prolactin (greater than or equal to 30% of baseline) in 8 subjects, a proportion not different from that present in fertile women (7/15) also receiving a single oral dose of nomifensine. Intravenous infusion of DA (0.04 microgram/kg min, 120 min) induced a similar inhibition in plasma prolactin in the aged and the fertile women, while administration of domperidone (4 mg i.v.) evoked a higher plasma prolactin rise, 15 min post-administration, in fertile than aged women. In all, presence of baseline prolactin levels only slightly elevated and prolactin responsiveness to nomifensine and DA not different from that of fertile women denote preservation of TIDA neuronal function in old women. The blunted response to domperidone of the old women is likely attibutable to a reduced pituitary pool of prolactin.