Elsevier

Gender Medicine

Volume 5, Issue 2, June 2008, Pages 115-123
Gender Medicine

Sex differences in the effects of aerobic and anaerobic exercise on blood pressure and arterial stiffness

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genm.2008.06.002Get rights and content

Abstract

Exercise can be used as an antihypertensive prescription for individuals with pre- to stage-1 essential hypertension, but the outcomes differ between the sexes and depend on the mode of exercise employed. Both aerobic exercise and resistance training lower blood pressure in men and women; however, resistance training lowers diastolic blood pressure to a greater extent in women but increases arterial stiffness to a greater extent in men. These studies emphasize the need for further research on the effect of resistance exercise training on blood pressure and arterial stiffness so that sex differences in response to exercise treatment programs are fully taken into account when devising individual antihypertensive treatment regimens.

Section snippets

Dr. Scott Collier received his Bachelor of Science degree in physical education-teaching from Cortland State University, followed by his master's and PhD from Syracuse University. Currently, he is an assistant professor at Syracuse University in the Department of Exercise Science and a clinical research scientist in the Department of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Dr. Collier is the author of numerous publications on hemodynamics and the vasculature, using exercise as an

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    Dr. Scott Collier received his Bachelor of Science degree in physical education-teaching from Cortland State University, followed by his master's and PhD from Syracuse University. Currently, he is an assistant professor at Syracuse University in the Department of Exercise Science and a clinical research scientist in the Department of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Dr. Collier is the author of numerous publications on hemodynamics and the vasculature, using exercise as an intervention in various populations.

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