Hemodynamic Response in Ascending Aorta Surgery Patients during Moderate Intensity Resistance Training

Rikke Gottlieb; Kasper Arnskov; Marius Henriksen; Eva Prescott; Hanne Rasmusen; Christian Have Dall

doi:10.1155/2023/7616007

Hemodynamic Response in Ascending Aorta Surgery Patients during Moderate Intensity Resistance Training

Transl Sports Med. 2023 Oct 28:2023:7616007. doi: 10.1155/2023/7616007. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Rikke Gottlieb^{1

2

3}, Kasper Arnskov¹, Marius Henriksen^{1

4}, Eva Prescott², Hanne Rasmusen², Christian Have Dall^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
² Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
³ Department of Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
⁴ The Parker Institute, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Abstract

Background: In patients undergoing ascending aortic surgery (AAS), postsurgical physical exercise with a safe and effective exercise prescription is recommended. Resistance training is associated with blood pressure (BP) elevations that may increase the risk of new aortic dissection or rupture. However, the acute hemodynamic response to resistance training for this patient group is unknown.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate peak systolic BP (SBP) increases in AAS patients during moderate intensity resistance training.

Methods: SBP was measured continuously beat-to-beat with a noninvasive method during three sets of leg presses at moderate intensity. A 15-repetition maximum strength test was performed to estimate the maximal amount of resistance a participant could manage 15 times consecutively (equivalent to approximately 60-65% of their maximum strength).

Results: The study had 48 participants in total, i.e., 24 cases and 24 controls. Both groups consisted of 10 females (42%) and 14 males (58%). The case group had a mean age of 60.0 (SD ± 11.9) years and a mean of 16.3 months since surgery (minimum 4.4 and maximum 39.6 months). 22 of the 24 cases received antihypertensive medication. The median baseline BP was 119/74 mmHg among cases and 120/73 mmHg among controls. During the first set of leg presses, the median peak SBP was 152 mmHg, in the second set 154 mmHg, and in the third set 165 mmHg. Corresponding values in controls were 170 mmHg, 181 mmHg, and 179 mmHg. The highest peak SBP registered in an AAS patient was 190 mmHg and in any healthy control was 287 mmHg.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that AAS patients in control of their BP have the endurance to perform 3 sets of resistance training at moderate intensity as their SBP increases with a maximum of 39% from the baseline compared to the 51% increase in the control group.