Cardiac benefits of exercise training in aging spontaneously hypertensive rats.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of low-intensity chronic exercise training (ExT) on blood pressure (BP), as well as the cardiac alterations associated with hypertension in aging hypertensive rats. METHODS: Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR; 21 months old) and their normotensive control Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were submitted to low-intensity training protocol for 13 weeks. BP, cardiac morphological and morphometric analysis, as well as gene expression of fibrotic and inflammatory factors were analyzed at the end of the training period. RESULTS: ExT reduced BP and heart rate in aged SHR. Left ventricle hypertrophy, collagen volume fraction and wall-to-lumen ratio of myocardium arterioles were also decreased in trained SHR. However, ExT was unable to reverse the either reduced capillary density or the cardiac myocyte hypertrophy observed in SHR as compared with WKY rats. Trained SHR showed higher metalloproteinase-2/tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2/TIMP-2) ratio and lower levels of α-smooth muscle actin, but similar levels of connective tissue growth factor, transforming growth factor beta or IL-1 beta to that of nontrained SHR. CONCLUSION: Low to moderate-intensity chronic ExT reverses the cardiac alterations associated with hypertension: myocardial arteriole, left ventricle hypertrophy, collagen content and tachycardia. These changes could be consequence or cause of the reduction in BP observed in trained SHR. In addition, ExT does not worsen the underlying inflammatory burden associated with hypertension. Therefore, the data support a beneficial effect of ExT in aging SHR similar to that reported in young or middle-aged individuals, confirming that exercise is a healthy habit that induces cardiac improvements independently of age.

Comparação entre hipertensão auto-referida e pressão arterial casual e presença de fatores de risco em funcionários da saúde de Bauru e Jaú / Comparision between self-reported hypertension and casual blood pressure and presence of cardiovascular risk factors among health workers of Bauru and Jau cities

Modelo: Estudo de prevalência. Objetivos: Avaliar a presença de hipertensão arterial auto-referida e comparar com os níveis de pressão arterial aferidos. Além disso, o trabalho se propôs a avaliar o grau de informação dos funcionários da saúde e determinar se o setor onde trabalha o funcionário influencia a Pressão Arterial (PA). Métodos: Foram avaliados 349 funcionários (46±10 anos) das cidades de Bauru e Jaú, que responderam uma anamnese (dados pessoais, condição socioeconômica, presença de doenças, prática de exercícios físicos e setor ocupacional) e foram submetidos a uma avaliação da PA. Os avaliados se auto-referiram normotensos ou hipertensos. Valores de PA Sistólica ≥ 140 mmHg e/ouPA diastólica ≥ 90 mmHg foram considerados elevados. Dentre os avaliados, 198 foram submetidos à avaliações antropométricas e bioquímicas. Os resultados são apresentados como média ± desvio padrão e distribuição de frequência. Utilizou-se teste “T-student” (p<0,05)...

Model: Prevalence study. Objectives: To evaluate the presence of self-reported hypertension to comparewith blood pressure measurements. Besides, this work investigated health information level of workers and if the job position has any influence on blood pressure (BP). Methods: This study evaluated 349 health workers (44±10 years old) from Bauru and Jau cities, who answered some questions about history of health condition, use of medicines, past surgeries as well associal, scholar and physical conditions and had their blood pressure measured. Each subject self-reported as normotensive or hypertensive. Values of systolic ≥ 140 mmHg and/or diastolic PA ≥ 90mmHg were considered elevated. Among the health workers evaluated, 198 were submitted to anthropometric and biochemical evaluations. Values are presented as means ± SD and frequency of distribution.It was used T-student test (p<0.05)...