<p> Supervised isometric handgrip training (IHG) has been shown to lower blood pressure (BP) and therefore, may be an effective non-pharmacological treatment for hypertension. The present investigation examined the efficacy of unsupervised IHG to lower BP in patients who were recently diagnosed as hypertensive. Since the mechanisms responsible for attenuating BP remain unclear, this study also investigated the concurrent effects of IHG training on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and arterial stiffness.</p> <p>Eight participants were randomized to the experimental group and the remaining six served as controls. Lifestyle modifications to lower BP were recommended for both groups. In addition, the experimental group completed IHG three times per week for six weeks. IHG consisted of four two-minute isometric contractions at 30% maximal voluntary contraction using alternate hands, each separated by a one-minute rest period. Pre- (PRE) and post-intervention (POST), BP was measured and the ANS was assessed by baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS) and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure variability (SBPV and DBPV) and arterial stiffness was evaluated by carotid-finger pulse wave velocity (PWV). All measures were assessed during a period of supine rest and during a 60° passive tilt.</p> <p> There were no significant changes in any BP measure from PRE to POST for either the experimental or control groups. There was a non-significant trend toward decreased heart rate (p = 0.065). BRS decreased from PRE to POST in both the experimental (10.7 ± 2.4 mm Hg to 9.7 ± 2.3 mm Hg) and control groups (8.6 ± 2.1 mm Hg to 7.6 ± 1.5 mm Hg), but there was no difference between groups. SBPV LF:HF was lower at POST than PRE in both experimental (6.8 ± 1.5 to 4.6 ± 1.1) and control (3.4 ± 1.9 to 2.3 ± 0.9), but there were no other differences in any other BPV variable. There were no significant changes in PWV.</p> <p> In conclusion, unsupervised IHG did not lower resting BP in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients, so there were no improvements in autonomic indices. There was a decrease in SBPV LF:HF indicating improved sympathovagal balance, but this was likely a result of lifestyle modification rather than IHG. Future studies are necessary to determine appropriate use of IHG as a treatment for hypertension and to verify the mechanisms responsible for BP attenuation with IHG.</p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T20:18:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 4192.pdf: 6083601 bytes, checksum: a411c24424aa71f8ff5f0404ef48215b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-02-16 / Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos / The multifactorial nature of coronary artery disease (CAD) includes complications related to angina and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and disorders involving sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiac autonomic modulation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the autonomic modulation of heart rate (HR) by linear and non-linear methods in healthy men and in patients with AMI and different percentages of coronary stenosis, as well as its relation with CAD risk factors. In order to evaluate heart rate variability (HRV), the HR and the RR intervals were recorded for 15 min in the supine position. Based on the results of this study, three manuscripts were written: The first manuscript presents the results of 10 men with AMI (57±9 years old) (2nd and 7th day after coronary event) and 11 healthy men (53±4 years old). The HRV analysis was carried out using linear methods in the time domain (TD=RMSSD and SDNN) and frequency domain (FD= low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) in normalized units (nu) and LF/HF) and using the non-linear methods approximate entropy (ApEn). A significant relationship between the linear and non-linear methods and the RMSSD, SDNN, LFun, HFun and LF/HF and ApEn indexes was observed. The linear and non-linear HRV indexes from the healthy group were higher than those of the AMI group on the 2nd and 7th days, which suggests that the analysis of HRV with linear methods in the TD and FD and the use of ApEn for linear analysis are in agreement, both for healthy subjects and patients after AMI. The second manuscript presents the results of 52 men (54±5 years old) divided into two groups with coronary obstruction CAD+ &#8805; 50% (n=18) and CAD- < 50% (n=17) and one control group (n=17). HRV analysis was carried out with Shannon entropy (SE) and symbolic analysis (0V and 2ULV). The patients with DAC+ presented lower SE (complexity), 2ULV (vagal predominance) and higher 0V (sympathetic predominance) than the DAC- and control groups, which indicates that cardiac autonomic disorder is related to the degree of coronary occlusion and to cardiac impairment. The third manuscript presents the results for risk factors, ACE I/D polymorphism and the indexes in the TD and FD of 151 patients with CAD (56±8 years old, DD=54, DI=70 and II=27). The results show that there was no relation between the ACE I/D polymorphism and HR, BP or HRV. However, the highest indexes of the HRV, which reflect vagal autonomic modulation, are related to a lower percentage of stenosis and the use of ACE inhibitors. / A doença arterial coronariana (DAC) é de natureza multifatorial sendo que as principais complicações estão relacionadas à angina e infarto agudo do miocárdio (IAM), apresentando disfunção da modulação autonômica cardíaca simpática e parassimpática. Assim, o objetivo foi avaliar a modulação autonômica da frequência cardíaca (FC), a partir de métodos lineares e não lineares, de homens saudáveis, de pacientes com IAM e com diferentes percentuais de estenose coronariana e sua relação com os fatores de risco para a DAC. Para a análise da variabilidade da FC (VFC) foi realizada a captação dos intervalos RR e da FC, durante 15 min na posição supina. A partir dos resultados do estudo foram elaborados três manuscritos. Primeiro manuscrito: Foram apresentados os resultados de 10 homens com IAM (57±9 anos) (avaliados no 2º e 7 º dia após evento coronariano) e 11 homens saudáveis (53±4 anos). A análise da VFC foi realizada utilizando-se dos métodos lineares no domínio do tempo (DT=RMSSD e RMSM) e da frequência (DF=baixa frequência (BF) e alta frequência (AF) em unidades normalizadas (un) e BF/AF) e pelo método não linear de entropia aproximada (EnAp). As análises da relação entre os métodos lineares e o não linear (índices RMSSD, RMSM, BFun, AFun e BF/AF com a EnAp) foi significativa. Os índices lineares e não linear da VFC do grupo saudável foram maiores em relação ao grupo IAM no 2º e no 7º dia. Os resultados mostram que os métodos lineares no DT e no DF e o não linear , são concordantes, para análise da VFC, tanto para voluntários saudáveis como para pacientes após o IAM. Segundo manuscrito: Foram apresentados os resultados de 52 homens (54±5 anos) divididos em três grupos, sendo dois grupos com obstrução coronariana DAC+ (&#8805; 50%; n=18) e DAC- (< 50%; n=17) e um grupo controle (n=17). A análise da VFC foi pela entropia de Shannon (ES) e análise simbólica (0V e 2ULV). Os pacientes com DAC+ apresentam menor ES (complexidade) e 2ULV (predominância vagal) e maior 0V (predominância simpática) quando comparado aos grupos DAC- e controle, o que indica que a disfunção autonômica cardíaca está relacionada ao grau de oclusão coronariana. Terceiro manuscrito: Foram apresentados os resultados da possível relação existente entre dos fatores de risco, do polimorfismo I/D do gene da ECA com os índices no DT e no DF de 151 pacientes com DAC (56±8 anos, DD=54, DI=70 e II=27). Os resultados mostram que não há relação entre o polimorfismo I/D do gene da ECA com a FC, PA e VFC. Já os maiores índices da VFC que refletem a modulação autonômica vagal estão relacionados ao menor percentual de estenose e ao uso de inibidores da ECA.