Brisk Walking for Elderly Individuals with Hypertension

DEAR EDITOR

One of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease is hypertension. According to the 2017 global burden of disease report, it was indicated that the number of individuals worldwide suffering from hypertension will have reached 1.56 billion by 2025, indicating a 60% rise in its global prevalence. ¹ Research conducted in various countries has revealed a global rise in the prevalence of hypertension, primarily attributed to such factors as population growth, aging, and changes in behavioral risks. Middle- and low-income countries experienced a significant increase in hypertension prevalence in comparison with high-income countries in recent years. ^{1 , 2}

Brisk walking exercise, as a form of aerobic exercise, can involve major muscle groups, increase oxygen consumption, and improve physical fitness. When you do brisk walking exercises every day, the body moves, the muscles and nerves also move, and you sweat. These movements can respond to changes in physical and physiological functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and muscles. Regular brisk walking not only strengthens the muscles, but also improves the blood and oxygen circulation in the body, optimizing the body metabolism. The central nervous system works better, so the body feels refreshed, and the brain works better. ^{3 , 4}

A study showed the effect of brisk walking exercise on increasing the oxygen volume to its maximum in overweight and non-elderly obese females. ⁴ A systematic review showed that the benefits of brisk walking included enhancing cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, and body composition in the elderly. However, further research is needed to validate the effects of brisk walking, endurance, and overall life satisfaction in this group. ⁵ A pilot study showed that 60 minutes of brisk walking, three times a week for 12 weeks, can reduce systolic blood pressure in the elderly patients with hypertension. Engaging in brisk walking can potentially decrease the sympathetic activity and increase the vagal tone, which may result in a decrease in peripheral resistance. It is widely recognized that consistent physical activity can lower norepinephrine levels by around 30%, and these reductions may correspond to the decrease in resting blood pressure. ⁶

It seems that brisk walking exercise is effective for the elderly people with hypertension. Frequency, intensity, time, and type of the principles of brtisk walking training should be examined for better evaluation of the effect of the exercise on the hypertension of the elderly in future research.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This work was supported by the Director of the Poltekkes Kemenkes Tanjung Karang Lampung, Head of the Department of the Nursing Study Program at the Indonesian University of Education.

Conflict of Interest:

None declared.

References

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