THE EFFICACY OF AEROBIC EXERCISE IN IMPROVING HYPERTENSION IN WORKING ADULT POPULATIONS

Abstract Context: Hypertension is a prevalent health concern among working adults, contributing significantly to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Aerobic exercise proposed intervention for managing hypertension, but its efficacy specifically in working adult populations needs comprehensive evaluation. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of aerobic exercise interventions in improving hypertension among working adults, focusing on changes in blood pressure, cardiovascular fitness, and quality of life. Methods: Without regard to linguistic constraints, a comprehensive search of the literature was carried out from the Cochrane Library's founding to January 2024 in PubMed, EMBASE, and the former. Included were randomised controlled trials that compared control groups to aerobic exercise therapies for hypertensive working adults. Changes in both the diastolic and systolic blood pressure were the main results. Quality of life and cardiovascular fitness were secondary objectives. Mean differences in blood pressure were pooled using random-effects meta-analyses. Results: The search yielded 18 studies with a total of 2,436 participants. Aerobic exercise significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (mean difference: -5.87 mmHg, 95% CI: -7.23 to -4.51, I² = 68%) and diastolic blood pressure (mean difference: -3.42 mmHg, 95% CI: -4.55 to -2.29, I² = 71%) compared to control groups. Cardiovascular fitness, measured by VO2 max, improved significantly in the exercise groups (mean difference: 3.49 mL/kg/min, 95% CI: 2.17 to 4.81, I² = 75%). Quality of life improvements were reported in 7 studies but could not be meta-analyzed due to heterogeneity in measurement tools. Conclusions: For working individuals with hypertension, aerobic exercise therapies seem to be beneficial fitness. The inclusion of structured aerobic exercise programs in workplace health initiatives for the management of hypertension is supported by these findings. To find the best exercise regimens and long-term adherence techniques for this demographic, more research is required.