Effect of a physical training program on healthy physical condition in hypertensive individuals

Abstract Objective: To determine the effect of a physical training program on the healthy physical condition of patients with controlled hypertension. Method: A clinical trial was conducted of 78 people diagnosed with controlled hypertension. Of those subjects who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study and who met the inclusion criteria a study group of 39 patients with controlled blood pressure was selected, and underwent the physical training program. A control group of 39 patients with controlled blood pressure was also selected and underwent an educational program combined with non-guided exercises which they usually practiced (shuffleboard, "froggy", chess). At the beginning of the study a survey on the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants was conducted, while their clinical characteristics were evaluated at the end of the study. The statistical t test for independent samples was used, along with the paired before or after Student t test, or failing that the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test. Results: 84.6 percent of the sample were women and 64.1 percent had a primary school level education. The mean differences showed statistical significance p<0.05 for HDL, LDL, triglycerides, lower limb strength and abdominal strength. Conclusion: The results support the conclusion that there were statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups for the variables HDL, LDL and triglycerides at the two phases of the study, but not between the time periods. The same applied to the strength of the lower limbs and abdominal strength variables, suggesting the implemented program had a positive effect.