Changes in blood pressure in the presence of additional respiratory resistance

Abstract

Background. Due to the steady increase in cardiovascular diseases, there is a need for finding and developing lifestyle options that are effective for lowering blood pressure in middle-aged and elderly people. These strategies include training with additional respiratory resistance.

The aim of the study was to investigate changes in blood pressure in middle-aged and elderly people under the conditions of systematic use of additional respiratory resistance.

Materials and methods. Men and women of middle and elderly age (n=60) with high blood pressure were examined. The subjects were divided into 3 groups: a control group; a comparison group that used a low additional respiratory resistance (10% Pmmax); and the main group using a high additional respiratory resistance (80% Pmmax). Training with additional respiratory resistance was performed once a day for 5 minutes for 5 weeks. The blood pressure profile was recorded. The long-term effect of the training was assessed 2 months after the training completion.

Results. The daily training with an additional respiratory resistance of 80% Pmmax led to a significant decrease in blood pressure; for diastolic blood pressure, a stable hypotensive effect remained for 2 months. The daily training with an additional respiratory resistance of 10% Pmmax did not cause any significant decrease in blood pressure neither during the training period nor 2 months after its completion.

Conclusions. Daily training with high additional respiratory resistance for 5 weeks induced a decrease in blood pressure in middle-aged and elderly people. For diastolic blood pressure, the antihypertensive effect of training with high additional respiratory resistance remained for 2 months after the training completion. Training with high additional respiratory resistance was well tolerated by middle-aged and elderly people, which increases the adherence of patients to this form of antihypertensive therapy.