ACUTE EFFECT OF A WATER AEROBICS SESSION ON BLOOD PRESSURE IN NORMAL TENSION AND HYPERTENSIVE WOMEN.

Abstract

Physical training causes significant changes influencing the cardiovascular system, emphasizing the post-exercise hypotension (PEH), which effect on blood pressure levels reach values lower than before exercise. Therefore, aquatic physical activities, especially gymnastics, are suggested for prevention and non pharmacological treatment of hypertension. This study aimed to identify the responses of blood pressure in adult women, normal tension and hypertensive physically active after a session of aerobics. The research was descriptive cross-sectional quantitative held with 20 women between 40 and 60 years, normal tension (n = 10) and hypertensive (n = 10). The blood pressures were measured 5 minutes before entering the pool, right after the end of the lesson (in water) and after 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes from the end of this. Data were analyzed using SPSS 15.0 (for Windows), with analysis of systolic, diastolic and mean by ANOVA for repeated measures followed by post-hoc Tukey (significance level of p <0.05). The results show an increase of SBP, DBP and MBP home until immediately after the activity, starting moments after its reduction to the exercise period of 60 minutes, becoming more evident in hypertensive HPE. Through this research it was confirmed, therefore, the importance of practice-oriented, systematic and continuous physical activity, especially in the aquatic environment, both in normal tension and hypertensive, given the benefits with respect to the decrease in blood pressure levels.