The Effects of Functional Training on the Ambulatory Blood Pressure and Physical Fitness of Resistant Hypertensive Elderly People: A Randomized Clinical Rehearsal with Preliminary Results

Objective: This study evaluated the impact of functional training (FT) on the ambulatory blood pressure and physical fitness of resistant hypertensive older adults. Method: This randomized clinical and controlled rehearsal involved 15 participants from Juazeiro do Norte-CE divided into two groups: a control group (CG), n = 7, without physical training, and an experimental group (EG), n = 8, subjected to 24 sessions of FT. The comparative analysis included ambulatory blood pressure (24 h mapping) and physical fitness (Senior Fitness Test), using an ANOVA of two factors, an alpha of 0.05, and a post hoc by Bonferroni where necessary. The dimension of the intervention effect was verified using Eta Squared. Results: The results show that FT promoted a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (SAP) during the day and at night, as well as improving physical fitness, including the force/resistance of the lower and upper limbs, physical mobility, and aerobic resistance. The flexibility of the upper and lower limbs was not affected. Conclusion: It is concluded that FT is effective in reducing SAP and improving physical fitness in resistant older adults. However, this type of training may positively influence general physical fitness of older adults with resistant hypertension.