Post-exercise effects of self-selected exercise intensity on cardiovascular parameters in peripheral artery disease: a randomized crossover study

To analyze the post-exercise effects of self-selected exercise intensity compared with the intensity recommended by guidelines on blood pressure and heart rate variability in participants with peripheral artery disease. This was a randomized crossover trial. Twenty participants with peripheral artery disease (52.6% men; 69.1±7.9 years; ankle-brachial index 0.59±0.15) underwent three experimental sessions: self-selected exercise intensity, intensity recommended by guidelines, and a control session (no exercise). Blood pressure (auscultatory method), heart rate, and heart rate variability were measured before and after the intervention. Acute reductions in systolic blood pressure were observed in the exercise sessions compared to the control (p<0.005). The heart rate decreased after control and increased after exercise sessions (p<0.001). The absolute heart rate increase after exercise sessions were higher than that in the Control Group p<0.001. Heart rate recovery showed a progressive decrease post-session over 300 s (p<0.001), with the root mean square of successive differences significantly decreasing up to 60 seconds in both exercise sessions (p<0.05). Acute walking exercise sessions prescribed at self-selected exercise intensity had similar effects on reducing systolic blood pressure and heart rate recovery compared with walking exercise session performed at the guideline-recommended intensity. NCT04333615.