Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and endothelium-dependent vasodilation in the elderly athletes

AimRegular exercise is a key component of cardiovascular risk prevention strategies, because it is associated with a variety of beneficial metabolic and vascular effects that reduce mortality and the incidence of cardiovascular adverse events. Endothelium plays an important role in the local regulation of vascular tone and structure, mainly by nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and action. Aim of the present study was to evaluate in elderly athletes the effect of regular aerobic exercise on arterial blood pressure (BP) and on endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery.MethodsThe study population included 30 male subjects (mean age 65.6 ± 5.6 years), who had practiced endurance running at a competitive level for at least 40 years, and 28 age- and sex-matched subjects (mean age 64.5 ± 4.5 years) with sedentary lifestyle and free of cardiovascular disease. Athletes and control subjects underwent standard 12-lead ECG, clinic BP, 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring and endothelium-dependent FMD and endothelium-independent response to glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), 400 microg, in the brachial artery by high-resolution ultrasonography.ResultsSystolic clinic and ambulatory 24-h BP were significantly lower in the athletes, than in the controls (P < 0.001, respectively). Systolic and diastolic 24-h BP variability, when assessed either by the standard deviation (S.D.), or by the coefficient of variation (CV), were also significantly lower in the athletes (P < 0.01). The athletes also had a lower 24-h, day-time and night-time heart rate (HR) (P < 0.01), as well as a lower HR variability (P < 0.01). As regards circadian BP change, the %Δ was statistically significant greater in athletes (P < 0.05). Elderly athletes showed higher FMD than elderly sedentary subjects (P < 0.001), whereas no differences were shown in the response to GTN.ConclusionsOur results, suggest that long-term physical activity can counteract the age-related endothelial dysfunction that characterizes sedentary aging, preserving the capacity of the endothelium-dependent vasodilation and reduces BP values improving arterial pressure control.