A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Aerobic Dance Training on Blood Lipids Among Individuals with Hypertension on a Thiazide

Purpose Hypertension is associated with dyslipidemia. Thiazides adversely affect serum lipid levels in hypertensives. There is currently a dearth of information on benefits of aerobic exercise training on serum lipid levels in individuals on thiazides and this study aimed at bridging this gap in knowledge. Methods This randomized-controlled trial involved 120 newly-diagnosed adults with essential hypertension (>= 65 years). They were treated with 50 mg of hydrochlorothiazide ? 5 mg of hydrochloride amiloride and 5 or 10 mg of amlodipine for 4-6 weeks before they were randomly assigned into exercise group (EG) and control croup (CG). Only EG underwent 12-week aerobic dance training at 50-70 % of heart rate reserve three times per week. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride and total cholesterol were measured and recorded at baseline and poststudy. Results Eighty-eight (45 in EG and 43 in CG) of 120 participants randomly assigned to groups completed the study. Systolic (p = 0.370) and diastolic (p = 0.771) blood pressures (BP) were similar between the two groups at baseline. Systolic (p<0.001) and diastolic (p<0.001) BPs reduced significantly in exercise and control groups. LDL-C (from 120.10 +/- 33.41 to 110.50 +/- 31.68 mg/dl; p = 0.037) and triglyceride (from 117.49 +/- 45.12 to 100.63 +/- 35.42 mg/dl; p = 0.002) decreased in EG poststudy but no significant between-group differences were observed. Conclusions Although, LDL-C and triglyceride are reduced after aerobic dance training, they were not any more than without it. Aerobic dance training has favorable effects on LDL-C, triglyceride, and systolic and diastolic BP in individuals with hypertension on a thiazide.