Sex Differences in the Effects of Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise on Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness

Exercise can be used as an antihypertensive prescription for individuals with pre- to stage-1 essential hypertension, but the outcomes differ between the sexes and depend on the mode of exercise employed. Both aerobic exercise and resistance training lower blood pressure in men and women; however, resistance training lowers diastolic blood pressure to a greater extent in women but increases arterial stiffness to a greater extent in men. These studies emphasize the need for further research on the effect of resistance exercise training on blood pressure and arterial stiffness so that sex differences in response to exercise treatment programs are fully taken into account when devising individual antihypertensive treatment regimens.