P151 Arterial Stiffness Response to Acute Aerobic and Resistance Exercise in Older Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract

Introduction

Arterial stiffness is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). Acute aerobic exercise decreases arterial stiffness, while acute resistance exercise increases arterial stiffness. There is little information on the effect of such exercise on arterial stiffness in older patients with CAD.

Purpose

We examined arterial stiffness, beta stiffness, central and brachial blood pressure after an acute aerobic compared to resistance exercise session in older patients with CAD.

Methods

We tested eighteen male patients with coronary artery disease aged 71.8 ± 10.2 years. Arterial stiffness was measured by PWV and beta-stiffness and both brachial and central blood pressures were obtained following 15minutes of supine rest and at 5,15,30 minutes after the aerobic and resistance exercise sessions on different and non-consecutive days. Aerobic session consisted of high intensity interval treadmill walking (10stages of 2minutes at 85–90% maximal heart rate, 1min rest). Resistance sessions consisted of 6 exercises, 3 sets, 8 repetitions at 70% of 1RM).

Results

An interaction effect was detected for central PWV(p ≤ 0.005), due to an increase in PWV following resistance session and a decrease in PWV following aerobic session. Controlling PWV for mean arterial pressure did not alter the results. Significant decreases 15min following aerobic exercise were also found in brachial systolic blood pressure and beta stiffness(p ≤ 0.005).

Conclusions

In these older CAD patients, aerobic exercise decreased PWV, while resistance exercise increased PWV, consistent with data on young healthy populations. However, beta stiffness did not increase after resistance exercise, suggesting the arterial segment measured, and/or the methodology used impacts the arterial response to resistance exercise in older CAD patients.

Table Results before and after which exercise session