CHANGES IN BLOOD-PRESSURE AND SERUM-CHOLESTEROL FOLLOWING EXERCISE TRAINING IN NIGERIAN HYPERTENSIVE SUBJECTS

The effect of exercise training on blood pressure (BP) and serum chole sterol level was studied in hypertensive Nigerians. Fifty-eight subjec ts aged 30-65 years completed the study. They exercised on a cycle erg ometer at 70% maximum O-2 consumption. The frequency of exercise incre ased from 1 x 30 min/week for 16 weeks to 3 x 30 min/week for 16 weeks . Overall, there was a significant decrease in systolic (S) BP from 16 1 mm Hg at the onset, to 148 mm Hg at the end of exercise training (P < 0.01). Also there was a significant decrease in diastolic (D) BP fro m 100 mm Hg to 95 mm Hg (P < 0.05). The younger hypertensives (30-50 y ears) had a better response than the older hypertensives (51-65 years) . There was a slight decrease in total cholesterol and low density lip oprotein levels, but high density lipoprotein level increased from an onset value of 0.94 mmol/l to 1.38 mmol/l at the end of exercise train ing (P < 0.05). Thus exercise training decreased BP and increased high density lipoprotein in hypertensive Nigerians.