Comparative Effects of Inspiratory Muscle Strength Training and Aerobic Exercise on Blood Pressure and Vascular Function in Young Adults with Prehypertension

Purpose: Although aerobic exercise (AE) is widely recommended for improving blood pressure (BP) and vascular function, inspiratory muscle strength training (IMST), a time-efficient breathing intervention, has recently shown promising effects on BP control.This study aimed to compare the effects of IMST and AE on BP and vascular function in young adults with prehypertension.Methods: Twenty young adults with prehypertension (mean age, 24.93.2years; baseline BP, 1308/856 mm Hg) were randomly assigned to an IMST group (n=11) or an AE group (n=9).The IMST group trained at 55%-75% of maximal inspiratory pressure, 5 days per week for 8 weeks.The AE group performed treadmill walking/jogging at 40%-60% of heart rate reserve for 30 minutes, 5 days per week.Pre-and post-intervention measurements included brachial and central BP, flow-mediated dilation (FMD), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), carotid artery compliance, and -stiffness.Results: The IMST group showed significant reductions in brachial systolic BP (128.26.3 to 122.58.5 mm Hg; p=0.005) and central systolic BP (113.15.0 to 107.66.2 mm Hg; p=0.002) with a significant interaction effect (p=0.045), whereas no significant changes were observed in the AE group.Diastolic BP remained unchanged in both groups.Vascular function indices, including -stiffness, cfPWV, and FMD, showed no significant changes in either group.Conclusion: IMST significantly reduced brachial and central systolic BP in young adults with prehypertension, while AE did not lead to significant changes.These findings suggest that IMST may be a more effective and time-efficient non-pharmacological intervention for early BP management in this population.