Impairment on cardiovascular and autonomic adjustments to maximal isometric exercise tests in offspring of hypertensive parents

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to compare cardiovascular and autonomic responses to a mental stress test and to a maximal isometric exercise test between offspring of normotensive (ON, n = 10) and hypertensive parents (OH, n = 10). Subjects underwent a 3-min Stroop Color Word Test and a maximal isometric exercise test performed in an isokinetic dynamometer with continuous RR interval monitoring. At rest, arterial pressure and heart rate were similar between groups, but there was a significant reduction in total RR interval variance (ON: 5933 ± 493 vs. OH: 2967 ± 390 ms(2)) and an increase in low-high frequency components ratio of heart rate variability (ON: 2.3 ± 0.4 vs. OH: 4.6 ± 0.8) in OH group. In the first minute of the mental stress test and after both tests, the OH group presented increased heart rate as compared with the ON group. After both tests, only the ON group presented an increase in sympathetic component, thus reaching resting values similar to those of the OH group. Our data demonstrated increased resting cardiac sympathetic modulation in offspring of hypertensive parents at similar levels to that observed in offspring of normotensive parents after a mental stress test or a maximal isometric exercise test. Additionally, the exacerbated heart rate responses to these physiological tests in OH subjects may be associated with resting autonomic dysfunction, thus reinforcing these evaluations as important tools for detecting early dysfunctions in this genetically predisposed population.

Cardiac autonomic dysfunction in chronic stroke women is attenuated after submaximal exercise test, as evaluated by linear and nonlinear analysis

“…RR interval variability was evaluated in time and frequency domains. Spectral power for low (LF: 0.03–0.15 Hz) and high (HF: 0.15–0.4 Hz) frequency bands was calculated by means of power spectrum density integration within each frequency band width, using a customized routine (MATLAB 6.0) [ 18 ].…”

Autonomic and Vascular Control in Prehypertensive Subjects with a Family History of Arterial Hypertension

“…The reason for the increased susceptibility of hypertensive offspring to developing hypertension is not completely elucidated. However, studies indicate that autonomic abnormalities, such as increased sympathetic modulation, 4 reduction of heart rate variability 4 and reduction of baroreflex sensitivity 5 are among the changes that may contribute to the onset of hypertension in normotensive children of hypertensive individuals. In addition, vascular abnormalities have also been considered as potential candidates for the onset of hypertension in this population.…”

Peripheral Vascular Resistance Impairment during Isometric Physical Exercise in Normotensive Offspring of Hypertensive Parents

“…The sample in the present study comprised sedentary individuals of both sexes, whereas the sample in the study by Greaney et al 23 comprised sedentary and active women. It is worth noting that the studies investigating blood pressure levels during physical exercise involving large muscle groups, such as exercise on a cycle ergometer 26,27 and knee extension isokinetic exercise, 8 have observed increased blood pressure levels in offspring of hypertensive parents, suggesting that the increased amount of muscle mass involved could be related to the cardiovascular hyperreactive responses observed in this population during these types of exercises.…”

“…However, vascular 6,7 and autonomic abnormalities, 8-10 present in this population even before changes in blood pressure level, have been considered relevant in the emergence of this pathology.…”