Postal Influence On Post-exercise Hypotension In Normotensive Young Adults.

PURPOSE: Post-exercise hypotension (PEH) is a well-documented phenomenon, but the impact of body position on its magnitude remains incompletely understood. This study aims to determine if post-exercise posture alters the post-exercise hypotension response. The findings may have implications for exercise prescriptions and clinical recommendations for optimizing cardiovascular health. METHODS: Ten participants aged 18-30 years will complete two blood pressure and equipment familiarization visits and four randomized conditions: control-no exercise (CON), seated post-exercise (SIT), supine post-exercise (SUPINE) and standing post-exercise (STAND). Each visit following the familiarization visits will involve pre-exercise measurements, followed by a high-intensity interval exercise session (4 x 4 protocol at 80-95% VO2max). Post-exercise measurements of brachial and central blood pressure and pulse wave analysis will be taken every 5 minutes for 60 minutes following exercise or rest. RESULTS: Ten participants, 5 male and 5 female, aged 23 ± 7.2 yr. with an average BMI of 24 ± 3.9 kg/m2 completed this study. There were no baseline group differences for any variable. There were significant group differences in post-exercise HR between all groups (CON: 59.5 ± 2.9 bpm, SUPINE: 72.4 ± 2.9 bpm, SIT: 82.8 ± 2.9 bpm, STAND: 90.2 ± 2.9 bpm, p < .001). There was significant post-exercise group difference when examining brachial SBP between CON (113.5 ± 2.2 mmHg) and SUPINE (111.8 ± 2.2 mmHg) (p = .041), and SUPINE (111.8 ± 2.2 mmHg) and STAND (113.9 ± .8 mmHg, p = .011). There were also post-exercise group differences between all groups on brachial DBP (CON: 68.3 ± 1.5 mmHg, SUPINE: 66.0 ± 1.6 mmHg, SIT: 71.0 ± 1.6 mmHg, STAND: 73.6 ± 1.6 mmHg, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Body positioning may play a significant role in the PEH response and should be carefully considered when conducting PEH research.