The Effects of Acute Resistance Exercise on Arterial Function

Arterial stiffness increases cardiovascular disease risk for stroke, myocardial infarction, and mortality. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of resistance exercise intensity on arterial stiffness and blood pressure. Two resistance exercise conditions, low and high intensity, were compared. In a longitudinal, cross-over study design, thirty-two subjects (n=32, 17 male, mean age= 24.6) completed both conditions on separate days. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was used as a measure of central and peripheral arterial stiffness at baseline, at 15 minutes post, and at 30 minutes post exercise. Central PWV increased in the low mode and returned toward baseline at 30 minutes post-exercise (p<0.05). Central PWV did not change in the high mode. Peripheral PWV increased in the low mode and remained elevated at 30 minutes post-exercise (p<0.05). Peripheral PWV did not change in the high mode. Mean blood pressure (MAP) (p<.05) decreased following low but did not change following high (p<.05). Neither low nor high had any effect on indices of heart rate variability. These findings suggest that exercise intensity has differential effects on blood pressure and arterial stiffness.

Quintin Scott, MS, MBA, is a researcher in kinesiology. He holds a master of science in exercise physiology, and a bachelor of science in kinesiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has conducted research investigating phenomena in human physiology and psychology with respect to behavior and the environment.