Effects of a Graded Brisk Walking Test with Different Intensity Levels on Elderly Patients with Essential Hypertension:A Prospective Study in Shanghai,China

Background:This study aimed to clarify the effects of a Graded Brisk Walking Test(GBWT)program on blood pressure(BP)control in elderly patients with essential hypertension and to determine its appropriate degree of intensity for elderly people.Methods:In total,421 out of 620 participants were randomly sampled from a community health center in Shanghai,China.Among them,200 and 221 patients were assigned to the intervened and control groups,respectively.They were all treated with the GBWT program for 8 weeks,16 weeks,and 24 weeks.Results:Based on ANOVA,there was no significant time main effect,condition main effect,or time by condition interaction both in heart rate and body mass index indicators(P>0.05).There were significant condition main effects,time by condition interaction,or time main effects in blood pressure(F=21.875,33.457,65.342,respectively;All P<0.05).After the intervention,significant differences in systolic blood pressure(SBP)and diastolic blood pressure(DBP)values were also observed in the two groups(P<0.05);the average values of the baseline and second phases of the intervention group were significantly lower than those of the control group(P<0.05).Significant differences in blood pressure values after the first two phases were also observed when compared with those before the intervention.Similarly,a significant difference in the first phase and second phase was also found between the BP group and intervention group.However,after the third phase(24 weeks,high-intensity exercise),no significant differences existed both in SBP and DBP groups compared with those before the intervention(P=0.07).Conclusion:GBWT is an effective exercise prescription to mitigate the essential hypertension in elderly Chinese patients,and the intensity,walking distance,and target number of steps can be adjusted according to the age of the patients.