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Bulletin of Faculty of Physical Therapy
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The effect of 12 weeks of resistive exercises versus aerobic exercises in overweight hypertensive postmenopausal women

Bulletin of Faculty of Physical Therapy volume 24, pages 40–48 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Hypertension is the most important risk factor that affects women in the early years of postmenopausal period. Approximately 30–50%of the women develop hypertension before starting the age of 60 years, and beginning of hypertension can cause a variety of manifestations that are frequently associated with menopause.

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine and compare the effect of 12 weeks of resistive exercises versus aerobic exercises for the treatment of postmenopausal hypertension.

Participants and methods

A total of 60 postmenopausal women with hypertension were included. Their ages ranged from 50 to 60 years old; their BMI ranged from 30 to 34.9 kg/m2; and their blood pressure ranged between 140/90 and 170/105 mmHg. They were randomly assigned to group A, which received resistive exercises; group B, which received aerobic exercises; or group C (control group), which received antihypertensive medication (bisoprolol fumarate 5 mg). The three groups followed the treatment program for 12 weeks. Assessment of the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) for all participants in the three groups (A, B, and C) was carried out before, after 6 weeks, and after the end of the treatment program through the use of mercury column sphygmomanometer.

Results

All groups (A, B, and C) recorded a significant decrease in both SBP and DBP values (P=0.001, 0.001, and 0.003, respectively, and P=0.001, 0.001, and 0.009, respectively) after the end of the 12 weeks of the treatment program when compared with their corresponding values measured before treatment. However, the participants in group A exhibited a greater reduction in DBP more than groups B and C.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the resistance exercises may be more effective than aerobic exercises in reducing SBP and DBP in postmenopausal women.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Therapy for Women’s Health, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, 7 Ahmed Elzaiat St. Ben Elsaryat, EI Dokki-Giza, 12612, Egypt

    Ghada E. El-Refaye PhD

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty of Medicine (girls), AlAzhar University, Cairo, Egypt

    Hanaa A. Younis

Authors
  1. Ghada E. El-Refaye PhD
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  2. Hanaa A. Younis
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El-Refaye, G., Younis, H. The effect of 12 weeks of resistive exercises versus aerobic exercises in overweight hypertensive postmenopausal women. Bull Fac Phys Ther 24, 40–48 (2019). https://doi.org/10.4103/bfpt.bfpt_19_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/bfpt.bfpt_19_18

Keywords

  • aerobic exercises
  • hypertension
  • menopause
  • resistive exercises