Does Hypertension Knowledge Influence Levels of Physical Activity in Hypertensive Patients From a Southern Brazilian Community?

Abstract Background: Increased level of physical activity (PA) and health education are known as non-pharmacological treatments of hypertension (HP). There is a lack of studies investigating the influence of HP knowledge on the level of PA among hypertensive patients. Objective: To examine the influence of patient's knowledge about HP on PA level and the relationship between these variables. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in in a primary care center located in a city in the southern Brazil. A total of 199 hypertensive patients (median 61.2 [13] years; body mass index (BMI) 21.9 (7.5) kg/m2; 72.4% women) were included. The level of PA was assessed by measuring the number of steps taken daily. The knowledge about HP was assessed by a standardized questionnaire (HIPER-Q). The Kruskall-Wallis test was used to compare age, BMI and PA level between HP knowledge categories, and the Spearman test was used to assess correlations (p <0.05). Results: The median score of knowledge about HP for patients categorized as insufficient (n=6, 3%), poor (n=24; 12.1%), acceptable (n=101; 50.8%) and good (n=68; 34.2%) was 11.0 (8.0), 20.0 (4.0), 26.0 (5.0) and 38.0 (2.0), respectively. No patient has achieved an "excellent" level of knowledge. There was no significant difference in PA level (p = 0.341), BMI (p = 0.510) or age (p = 0.073) between these categories. Age was negatively correlated with knowledge about HP (p <0.05 and rho = 0.02). Conclusions: Patient's knowledge about HP did not influence the level of PA in hypertensive patients. Age, number of steps per day and BMI were not significantly different between the categories of knowledge. Public policies and organizational strategy should be addressed to improve health education and avoid sedentary behavior in this population. (Int J Cardiovasc Sci. 2020; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0)

Força de preensão manual e velocidade máxima da caminhada de acordo com o nível de atividade física e o sexo de centenários / Handgrip strenght and maximum walking speed according to the physical activity and sex of centenarians

Objetivo: comparar a força de preensão manual (FPM) e a velocidade máxima da caminhada de acordo com o nível de atividade física (NAF) e o sexo em idosos centenários. Método: participaram do estudo 48 centenários (101,73±2,52 anos), sendo 29 mulheres e19 homens. Dados sociodemográficos, de saúde e hábitos de vida foram analisados por meio do Protocolo de Avaliação Multidimensional do Idoso Centenário ­ PAMIC. A FPM foi mensurada por meio de dinamômetro, o NAF por meio de pedômetro e a velocidade máxima da caminhada por meio de teste físico. Foram classificados como centenários ativos os que atingiram no mínimo 1.000 passos/semana e como insuficientemente ativos aqueles abaixo deste valor. O nível de significância adotado foi de 5%. Resultados: centenários do sexo masculino apresentaram maior FPM direita (17,47±6,94kgf) e esquerda (16,63±6,28kgf) quando comparados ao sexo feminino (11,90±4,84kgf; 10,48±5,00kgf) (p<0,05). Quando analisados de acordo com o NAF, centenários ativos apresentaram maior FPM direita (22,86±8,01 kgf) e esquerda (22,14±5,55kgf) em comparação aos insuficientemente ativos (14,33±3,82kgf; 13,42±4,14kgf) (p<0,05). Para o sexo feminino, a FPM direita foi maior nas centenárias ativas (15,75±4,68kgf) quando comparadas às insuficientemente ativas (10,43±4,12kgf) (p=0,006). Na FPM esquerda, o grupo ativo apresentou maior valor médio (14,00±4,63 kgf) em comparação ao grupo insuficientemente ativo (9,14±4,55kgf) (p=0,017). A velocidade máxima da caminhada não apresentou diferença significativa de acordo com o NAF ou o sexo dos idosos. Conclusão: o estudo evidencia que a atividade física está intimamente relacionada a melhores valores de FPM, indicando que idosos centenários ativos possuem melhor força corporal global.(AU)

Aim: to compare the handgrip strength (HGS) and the maximum walking speed according to the level of physical activity (PA) and sex in elderly centenarians. Method: 48 centenarians (101.73 ± 2.52 years old) participated in the study, 29 women and 19 men. Sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle data were analyzed using the Multidimensional Assessment Protocol for the Elderly Centenary ­ PAMIC. HGS was measured using a dynamometer, PA utilizing a pedometer, and the maximum gait speed through a physical test. Those who reached at least 1,000 steps/week were classified as active centenarians and those below this value as insufficiently active. The level of significance adopted was 5%. Results: centenarians of the male sex had higher HGS on the right (17.47 ± 6.94kgf) and left (16.63 ± 6.28kgf) when compared to the female sex (11.90 ± 4.84kgf; 10.48 ± 5, 00kgf) (p<0.05). When analyzed according to PA, active centenarians had a higher right (22.86 ± 8.01 kgf) and left (22.14 ± 5.55kgf) HGS compared to insufficiently active (14.33 ± 3.82kgf; 13, 42 ± 4.14 kgf) (p <0.05). For females, the right HGS was higher in active centenarians (15.75 ± 4.68kgf) when compared to insufficiently active women (10.43 ± 4.12kgf) (p = 0.006). In the left HGS, the active group had a higher mean value (14.00 ± 4.63 kgf) compared to the insufficiently active group (9.14 ± 4.55kgf) (p = 0.017). The maximum gait speed did not show any significant difference according to PA or the gender of the elderly. Conclusion: the study shows that physical activity is closely related to better values of HGS, indicating that active elderly centenarians have better overall body strength.(AU)