Improved Left Ventricular Diastolic Function with Exercise Training in Hypertension: A Doppler Imaging Study

Objective. To study the effects of 6 months' exercise training on ventricular function in hypertensive patients. Methods. Both groups received routine anti-hypertensive pharmacological therapy and one received a 6 months' exercise program in addition. All patients underwent incremental cardiopulmonary exercise test and echocardiography in baseline and after 6 months. Results. (1) In 6 months' follow-up, Peak(VO2), Power(max) (max workload), AT (anaerobic threshold), VO2AT (VO2 at anaerobic threshold), t(AT) (time from beginning to anaerobic threshold) (P < .05), were increased in the exercise group. HRrest (Heart rate at rest) was decreased (P < .05). LAVI (left atrial volume index), peak mitral filling velocities during early (E) and late (A) diastole E/A ratio, DT(deceleration time of the mitral E wave), IVST(Interventricular septum thickness in diastole), tissue Doppler indice Mean Ea/Aa ratio (P < .05) were also improved. (2) Correlation analysis: 4 variates had significant effect on change of Peak(VO2) in the exercise group: age (r = -0.39), change of HRrest (r = 0.59), change of E/A ( r = 0.55), change of Mean Ea/Aa (r = 0.58); Through analyzing 2 groups patients' baseline values, their age (beta = -0.32), VO2AT (beta = 0.29), HRrest (beta = -0.25), LAVI (beta = -0.24), E/A (beta = 0.41) were found to be independent predictors of Mean Ea/Aa. P-value under .05 was considered statistically significant. Conclusion. 6 months' exercise could enhance hypertensive patients' aerobic exercise level and diastolic function to a certain extent.