gms | German Medical Science

27. Wissenschaftlicher Kongress der Deutschen Hochdruckliga

Deutsche Liga zur Bekämpfung des hohen Blutdrucks – Deutsche Hypertonie Gesellschaft e. V.

26. bis 29.11.2003, Bonn

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The effect of aerobic exercise in groups on the quality of life and on physical fitness of hypertensive patients: results of the pilot study

Effekt von Ausdauersport in Gruppen auf Lebensqualität und körperliche Fitness von Hypertonie-Patienten

Meeting Abstract (Hypertonie 2003)

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  • presenting/speaker S. Hensler
  • C. Protte
  • G. Vetter
  • P. Doenecke
  • J. Klingler

Hypertonie 2003. 27. Wissenschaftlicher Kongress der Deutschen Hochdruckliga. Bonn, 26.-29.11.2003. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2004. Doc03hochP31

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/hoch2003/03hoch131.shtml

Published: November 11, 2004

© 2004 Hensler et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

Outline

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Aim

To determine if structured regular exercise in instructed groups influences the quality of life of treated hypertensive patients in comparison to hypertensive subjects without controlled increased physical activity. Furthermore to investigate the effects of the chosen exercise program on physical fitness.

Methods

In a controlled pilot study healthrelated quality of life (QOL) was assessed after intervention using the questionnaire "Profil Lebensqualität Chronisch Kranker" adapted to hypertensive individuals. In the intervention group (n=7) patients underwent lactat-controlled aerobic walking exercises once a week in groups and twice a week on their own initiative over a period of one year. The change in physical fitness was tested in a second stress ergometry. Individuals in the control group (n=14), corresponding to the intervention group as to sex, medication and age, were randomly selected from the patients of three general practitioners.

Results

The scores of the intervention group show a non-significant difference with respect to healthrelated QOL (p=0.06), and a significant difference to hypertensive symptoms (p<0.05) and to the overall score (p<0.05) compared to the control group. Maximum working exercise capacity improved significantly (p<0.01).

Conclusions

Aerobic exercises in groups seem to improve the healthrelated quality of life of hypertensive patients as well as their maximum working exercise capacity. Due to the small number of patients no generalizations can be made. The results will be reevaluated in an ongoing randomized-controlled study, which is supported by the Deutsche Stiftung für Herzforschung.

Lactat analysis was supported by Roche Diagnostics©.