Respiratory Muscle Training and Intermittent Hypoxia: Additive Health Effects?

Acute Effects of Intermittent Respiratory Muscle Training and Hypoxia on Cardiovascular and Sleep Parameters in Elderly Persons With Prehypertension

The prevalence of pre-hypertension and hypertension in the elderly is very high. Apart from medication, physical exercise training is a potential strategy to reduce blood pressure, however, the ability to perform exercise can be limited in the elderly. Hence, alternative non-pharmacological strategies to reduce blood pressure are necessary. Two interventions that have been shown to positively influence blood pressure are respiratory muscle training (RMT) and intermittent hypoxia (IH). Whether a combination of RMT and IH yields even better effects is currently unknown. Therefore, in this study, the effect of a single session of RMT with and without IH on blood pressure and associated cardiovascular parameters will be investigated in elderly subjects with pre-hypertension.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age: 65-80 years
• Systolic blood pressure between 130-139 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure lower than 90 mmHg
• Non smoking
• Normal Body-Mass-Index (BMI): 18.5-24.9 kg·m-2
• Normal Lung Function
• Willing to adhere to the general study rules

Exclusion Criteria:

• Known or suspected non-compliance, drug or alcohol abuse
• Inability to follow the procedures of the study, e.g. due to language problems, psychological disorders, dementia, etc. of the participant
• Previous enrolment into the current study
• Enrolment of the investigator, his/her family members, employees and other dependent persons
• Intake of blood pressure medication
• Intake of medications affecting sleep or the performance or the respiratory, cardiovascular or neuromuscular system
• Acute or chronic illness other than prehypertension