PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Static isometric exercise, such as wall sits, best for lowering blood pressure

But squats, press-ups, high intensity interval training (HIIT), and ‘cardio’ also effective; review of current exercise guidelines for controlling blood pressure may now be warranted

2023-07-26
(Press-News.org) Static isometric exercises—the sort that involve engaging muscles without movement, such as wall sits and planks—are best for lowering blood pressure, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence from clinical trials, published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

But ‘cardio’ (aerobic exercise); dynamic resistance training, such as squats, press-ups, and weights; high intensity interval training or HIIT for short (episodic short bouts of high intensity exercise interspersed with short periods of recovery at a lower intensity) are all effective, indicate the findings.

It may be time to review the current exercise guidelines for the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure, suggest the researchers.

Previously published research shows that exercise in general is associated with significant reductions in blood pressure, with aerobic (’cardio’) exercise, such as walking, running, and cycling, the type primarily recommended for managing blood pressure.

But this recommendation is largely based on older data that exclude the newer forms of exercise, such as HIIT and isometric exercise, meaning that the current recommendations are probably outdated, suggest the researchers.

In a bid to potentially update information on the best form of exercise for controlling blood pressure, they trawled research databases looking for clinical trials reporting the effects of an exercise training intervention lasting 2 or more weeks on resting blood pressure. 

The exercise interventions were classified as aerobic (‘cardio’); dynamic resistance training; a combination of these; HIIT; and isometric exercises. 

Healthy resting blood pressure was defined as a reading below 130/85 mmHg; pre-high blood  pressure as 130–139/85–89 mmHg; and high blood pressure as 140/90 mmHg or more.

Systolic blood pressure, the first number in a reading, measures arterial pressure when the heart beats; diastolic blood pressure, the second number, measures arterial pressure between beats.

In all, 270 randomised controlled trials published between 1990 and February 2023 were included in the final analysis, with a pooled data sample size of 15,827 participants.

The pooled data analysis showed significant reductions in resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure after all the various categories of exercise, but with the largest falls in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure after isometric exercise training.

The reductions in blood pressure after aerobic exercise training amounted to 4.49/ 2.53 mmHg; 4.55/3.04 mm Hg after dynamic resistance training; 6.04/2.54 mmHg after combined training; 4.08/2.50 mmHg after HIIT; and 8.24/4 mmHg after isometric exercise training.

The rank order of effectiveness values for reducing systolic blood pressure were isometric exercise training (98%), combined training (76%), dynamic resistance training (46%), aerobic exercise training (40.5%) and HIIT (39%). 

Secondary analyses revealed wall squats (isometric) and running (aerobic) as the most effective individual exercises for reducing systolic blood pressure (90.5%) and diastolic blood pressure (91%), respectively, with isometric exercise, overall, the most effective for reducing both blood pressure elements.

The researchers acknowledge that variations in the types of participants included across the clinical trials and differences in statistical and methodological processes and exercise interventions may have influenced the findings, and so should be interpreted in light of these limitations.

But they nevertheless conclude: “Overall, isometric exercise training is the most effective mode in reducing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. 

“These findings provide a comprehensive data driven framework to support the development of new exercise guideline recommendations for the prevention and treatment of arterial hypertension.”

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Consequences of premature parental death seemingly greater for boys than for girls

2023-07-26
The cumulative health and economic consequences of the premature loss of a parent may be greater for boys than for girls, suggest the findings of a large long term study published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. Experiencing the death of a parent before the age of 21, however, is strongly linked to poor mental health and lower earnings/unemployment in adulthood for both sexes, the data indicate. Previously published research has pointed to a link between premature parental death and the child’s subsequent health and prosperity. But no studies have drawn ...

Study finds ‘startling’ levels of hidden mental health symptoms among people living with long term autoimmune diseases

2023-07-26
More than half of patients with auto-immune conditions experience mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety, yet the majority are rarely or never asked in clinic about mental health symptoms, according to new research from the University of Cambridge and King’s College London. In a study published today in Rheumatology, researchers found that over half of the patients had rarely or never reported their mental health symptoms to a clinician, and that the range of possible mental health and neurological symptoms is much wider than has been previously reported. The team surveyed neurological and psychiatric symptoms amongst 1,853 patients with systemic auto-immune ...

Egg ‘signatures’ will allow drongos to identify cuckoo ‘forgeries’ almost every time, study finds

Egg ‘signatures’ will allow drongos to identify cuckoo ‘forgeries’ almost every time, study finds
2023-07-26
Images and paper available at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1mPYnFKIEArlXUAaFk5H7YTepezntqerj?usp=sharing African cuckoos may have met their match with the fork-tailed drongo, which scientists predict can detect and reject cuckoo eggs from their nest on almost every occasion, despite them on average looking almost identical to drongo eggs. Fork-tailed drongos, belligerent birds from sub-Saharan Africa, lay eggs with a staggering diversity of colours and patterns. All these colours and patterns are forged by the African cuckoo. African cuckoos lay their eggs in drongos’ nests to avoid rearing their chick themselves (an example of so-called ...

A novel approach for balancing properties in composite materials

A novel approach for balancing properties in composite materials
2023-07-26
Dr. Amir Asadi, an assistant professor in the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution at Texas A&M University, is making groundbreaking strides in the field of composite materials. His research explores embedding patterned nanostructures composed of multiple materials into high-performance composites to achieve the desired multifunctionality without sacrificing any other properties. This could lead to advancements in various fields, including electronics, energy storage, transportation and consumer products.   Asadi's work has significant implications, as it addresses the challenge of simultaneously enhancing two properties — multifunctionality ...

One simple brain hack might boost learning and improve mental health

One simple brain hack might boost learning and improve mental health
2023-07-25
DURHAM, N.C. – Shifting from a high-pressure mindset to a curious one improves people’s memory. New research from Duke found that people who imagined being a thief scouting a virtual art museum in preparation for a heist were better at remembering the paintings they saw, compared to people who played the same computer game while imagining that they were executing the heist in-the-moment. These subtle differences in motivation — urgent, immediate goal-seeking versus curious exploration for a future goal — have big potential for framing real-world challenges such as encouraging people ...

$13.7 million NIAID grant will fund novel study on multidrug resistant organisms

2023-07-25
  The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has awarded a $13.7 million, five-year grant to a team of researchers to investigate multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs) in nursing homes throughout the United States. The multidisciplinary research team includes CUNY Graduate School of Public Health (CUNY SPH) Professor Bruce Y. Lee and is led by University of California, Irvine (UCI) School of Medicine infectious diseases expert Dr. Susan Huang. Using one of the world’s largest compilations of specimens from healthcare facilities, the team will study six antibiotic-resistant organisms deemed as serious and urgent ...

Protein found to protect females against obesity

2023-07-25
RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- Associated with poorer mental health outcomes and reduced quality of life, obesity is on the rise in the United States. Currently, more than 30% of American adults are classified as obese. A risk factor for several diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and COVID-19, obesity is an important and growing public health concern. Using a mouse model of high fat diet-induced obesity, a team of scientists at the University of California, Riverside, has found that, compared to males, female mice are protected against obesity and inflammation because they secrete more of an immune protein called RELMalpha. “Our ...

Enhancing image quality with broadband achromatic and polarization-insensitive metalenses

Enhancing image quality with broadband achromatic and polarization-insensitive metalenses
2023-07-25
Precise control of light is a crucial requirement in optical imaging, sensing, and communication. Traditional lenses employed for the purpose have limitations, necessitating more precise and compact solutions. To address this need, researchers have developed metalenses, ultrathin lenses constructed from nanomaterials that are smaller in size than the wavelength of light. These sub-wavelength elements provide the means to manipulate light waves with exceptional precision, facilitating a precise control of the amplitude, phase, polarization, and direction of light waves. Moreover, compared to bulky lenses, metalenses are ...

Study links alcohol-associated liver disease to abnormal cutting and rejoining of molecules

2023-07-25
SAN ANTONIO (July 25, 2023) — Alcohol consumption is a major cause of chronic liver disease. The disease, which has devastating consequences, progresses through stages of hepatitis (inflammation), fibrosis (scarring) and cirrhosis (severe scarring). Advanced disease increases the risk of developing liver cancer, and some individuals may require a liver transplant to live. Despite a tremendous need for new treatments, the specific biological factors that determine when and how rapidly liver cells deteriorate remain largely unknown. In a study published May 3 in the journal Hepatology, a research team at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San ...

Menstrual cups can help prevent infection, improve vaginal health

2023-07-25
Many girls in low- and middle-income countries struggle to buy products to manage their periods, which can cause them to skip school. So, ensuring they have access to menstrual products is critical.  A new Kenya-based study from University of Illinois Chicago researchers shows that the benefits of one kind of menstrual product — a menstrual cup — extend well beyond educational access. Teenage girls who were given menstrual cups were less likely to acquire certain kinds of vaginal infections and were more likely to have a healthy vaginal microbiome, the study found. The findings are published ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Scientists trace origins of now extinct plant population from volcanically active Nishinoshima

AI algorithm based on routine mammogram + age can predict women’s major cardiovascular disease risk

New hurdle seen to prostate screening: primary-care docs

MSU researchers explore how virtual sports aid mental health

Working together, cells extend their senses

Cheese fungi help unlock secrets of evolution

Researchers find brain region that fuels compulsive drinking

Mental health effects of exposure to firearm violence persist long after direct exposure

Research identifies immune response that controls Oropouche infection and prevents neurological damage

University of Cincinnati, Kent State University awarded $3M by NSF to share research resources

Ancient DNA reveals deeply complex Mastodon family and repeated migrations driven by climate change

Measuring the quantum W state

Researchers find a way to use antibodies to direct T cells to kill Cytomegalovirus-infected cells

Engineers create mini microscope for real-time brain imaging

Funding for training and research in biological complexity

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: September 12, 2025

ISSCR statement on the scientific and therapeutic value of human fetal tissue research

Novel PET tracer detects synaptic changes in spinal cord and brain after spinal cord injury

Wiley advances Knowitall Solutions with new trendfinder application for user-friendly chemometric analysis and additional enhancements to analytical workflows

Benchmark study tracks trends in dog behavior

OpenAI, DeepSeek, and Google vary widely in identifying hate speech

Research spotlight: Study identifies a surprising new treatment target for chronic limb threatening ischemia

Childhood loneliness and cognitive decline and dementia risk in middle-aged and older adults

Parental diseases of despair and suicidal events in their children

Acupuncture for chronic low back pain in older adults

Acupuncture treatment improves disabling effects of chronic low back pain in older adults

How interstellar objects similar to 3I/ATLAS could jump-start planet formation around infant stars

Rented e-bicycles more dangerous than e-scooters in cities

Ditches as waterways: Managing ‘ditch-scapes’ to strengthen communities and the environment

In-situ molecular passivation enables pure-blue perovskite LEDs via vacuum thermal evaporation

[Press-News.org] Static isometric exercise, such as wall sits, best for lowering blood pressure
But squats, press-ups, high intensity interval training (HIIT), and ‘cardio’ also effective; review of current exercise guidelines for controlling blood pressure may now be warranted