Endurance exercise beneficially affects ambulatory blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract
Exercise is widely recommended as one of the key preventive lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of hypertension and to manage high blood pressure (BP), but individual studies investigating the effect of exercise on ambulatory BP have remained inconclusive. Therefore, the primary purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the effect of aerobic endurance training on daytime and night-time BP in healthy adults. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed and Cochrane Controlled Clinical trial registry from their inception to May 2012. Randomized controlled trials of at least 4 weeks investigating the effects of aerobic endurance training on ambulatory BP in healthy adults were included. Inverse weighted random effects models were used for analyses, with data reported as weighted means and 95% confidence limits. We included 15 randomized controlled trials, involving 17 study groups and 633 participants (394 exercise participants and 239 control participants). Overall, endurance training induced a significant reduction in daytime SBP [-3.2 mmHg, 95% confidence interval (CI), -5.0 to-1.3] and daytime DBP (-2.7 mmHg, 95% CI, -3.9 to -1.5). No effect was observed on night-time BP. The findings from this meta-analysis suggest that aerobic endurance exercise significantly decreases daytime, but not night-time, ambulatory BP.
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Clinically meaningful reductions in daytime ambulatory BP can be achieved with endurance exercise training.
“A further meta-analysis by Cornelissen et al. indicated clinically meaningful reductions in daytime ambulatory BP can be achieved with endurance exercise training [61].”
From The Identification and Management of High Blood Pressure Using Exercise Blood Pressure: Current Evidence and Practical Guidance (2022) · cites this paper as [61]
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- Authors
- Cornelissen, V. A., Buys, R., & Smart, N. A.
- Affiliations
- KU Leuven (BE)
- University of New England (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Cornelissen, Véronique A.
- Venue
- Journal of Hypertension
- Published
- 2013-04
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 639-648
- ISSN
- 0263-6352 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2079280633
- Cited by
- 209
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 27 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 9
- FWCI
- 3.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Hypertension (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Lirias (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Blood Pressure and Hypertension Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Keywords
- aerobic endurance training, ambulatory blood pressure, hypertension prevention, daytime blood pressure, nocturnal blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, exercise intervention, healthy adults
- MeSH terms
- Blood Pressure, Humans, Physical Endurance, Exercise
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