LAUSR

Purpose. Studies have shown that even a single session of physical exercise lowers blood pressure after its completion. This phenomenon is called post-exercise hypotension (PEH) and has been considered as a non-pharmacological treatment to control blood pressure. However, there are no studies regarding the occurrence of PEH after acute exercise in individuals with Down syndrome (DS). This study aimed to analyse the occurrence of PEH in these subjects and the possible role of exercise intensity. Methods. Ten individuals with DS, of both genders, participated in the study (age, 29 ± 7 years; body mass, 60.7 ± 9 kg; height, 1.48 ± 0.11 m; BMI, 27.6 ± 2.4 kg/m2). The volunteers randomly underwent 2 sessions of exercise on a stationary bike for 20 minutes and 1 control session. Heart rate, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured after 15 minutes of resting, in the 20th minute of each exercise session or control, and in the 15, 30, and 45 minute of postexercise recovery. Results. Both moderate and intense exercise performed acutely increased SBP (p < 0.001, p < 0.01, respectively), with no effect on DBP in individuals with DS. Neither the moderate nor the intense exercise was enough to elicit PEH. Conclusions. The results indicated that individuals with DS may not present PEH for the intensities, duration, and exercise mode as applied in the present investigation. While additional studies with different exercise strategies are needed, our findings contribute to the body of literature regarding the PEH responses in adults with DS.