Associação entre força muscular e pressão arterial em pessoas idosas: um estudo transversal

Abstract

Introduction: Changes in the neuromuscular and cardiovascular systems resulting from aging lead to an increase in the prevalence of non-transmissible chronic diseases. Physical activity (or strength training) can mitigate these age-related factors. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between muscle strength and resting blood pressure in hypertensive and normotensive elderly people in the community, and to assess whether there is similarity between the responses of both groups. Methods: In this cross sectional study, 258 elderly people from the community (65.9 ± 5.0 years; 60.8% hypertensive; 80% female) were included. Resting blood pressure variables (i.e., systolic blood pressure 'SBP', diastolic blood pressure 'DBP' and mean blood pressure 'MAP') were evaluated using an automatic oscillometric device DynaMapaAOP. Participants were categorized according to muscle strength stratified by gender (very low, quartile 1; low, quartile 2; medium, quartile 3; and high, quartile 4). The generalized model was used for data analysis. 'Very low' category was the reference group. Results: Hypertensive elderly people with low muscle strength had lower DBP values (β = –4.5 mmHg, p = 0.035) compared to those with very low strength. No significant differences were observed in SBP and MAP (p > 0.05) in hypertensive elderly people. Normotensive elderly people with low (β = –10.2 mmHg, p = 0.007), medium (β = –8.4 mmHg, p = 0.030) and high (β = –8.8 mmHg, p = 0.018) muscle strength showed lower SBP values compared to the reference group. Elderly people with low (β = –8.1 mmHg, p = 0.001) and high (β = –8.0 mmHg, p = 0.001) muscle strength also had lower DBP values compared to the reference group. Elderly people with low (β = –8.8 mmHg, p = 0.001), medium (β = –5.8 mmHg, p = 0.032) and high (β = –8.2 mmHg, p = 0.002) muscle strength lower MAP values compared to the reference group. Conclusion: Muscle strength was inversely associated with resting blood pressure in normotensive elderly people, and no relationship was seen between the variables in the hypertensive population. Therefore, it was not possible to make comparisons between the responses of both groups.