Combined cardiovascular effects of ovariectomy and high-intensity interval training in female spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Hypertensive postmenopausal women are more likely to develop adverse cardiac remodelling and respond less effectively to drug treatment than men. High intensity interval exercise (HIIE) is a non-pharmacological strategy for the treatment of hypertension, however, the effectiveness in women remains uncertain. This study was designed to evaluate (1) effects of HIIE training upon morphological and functional markers of cardiovascular health in female SHR and (2) to determine whether the hormonal shift induced by ovariectomy could influence cardiovascular responses to HIIE. 36 SHR were randomly assigned to 4 groups: ovariectomised sedentary, ovariectomised trained, sham-operated sedentary and sham-operated trained. The trained rats performed HIIE 5 days/week for 8 weeks. Blood pressure and echocardiographic measurements were performed before and after training in animals. Cardiac response to ß-adrenergic stimulation and the expression of calcium regulatory proteins and estrogen receptors in heart samples were assessed. Endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in response to acetylcholine was evaluated in aortic rings as well as the expression of nitric oxide synthase isoforms (eNOS and P-eNOS) by western blotting. In both groups of trained SHR, HIIE induced eccentric cardiac remodelling with greater inotropic and chronotropic effects, as well as an increase in SERCA and ß1AR expression. However, although the trained rats showed improved endothelial function and expression of eNOS and P-eNOS in the aorta, there was no demonstrated effect on blood pressure. Additionally, the responses to HIIE training were not affected by ovariectomy. This work highlights the importance of assessing the cardiovascular efficacy and safety of different exercise modalities in women.

Effect of exercise modalities on postexercise hypotension in pre- and postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Hormonal changes associated with menopause increase the risk of hypertension. Postexercise hypotension (PEH) is an important tool in the prevention and management of hypertension; however, menopause may alter this response. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis [International Prospective Registered of Systematic Review (PROSPERO): CRD42023297557] was to evaluate the effect of exercise modalities (aerobic, AE; resistance, RE; and combined exercise, CE: AE + RE) on PEH in women, according to their menopausal status (premenopausal or postmenopausal). We searched controlled trials in PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Science Direct published between 1990 and March 2023. Inclusion criteria were normotensive, pre- and hypertensive, pre- and postmenopausal women who performed an exercise session compared with a control session and reported systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) for at least 30 min after the sessions. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. Standardized mean differences (Hedge's g) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and Q-test and Z-test were conducted to assess differences between moderators. Forty-one trials with 718 women (474 menopausal) were included. Overall, we found with moderate evidence that SBP and DBP decreased significantly after exercise session (SBP: g = -0.69, 95% CI -0.87 to -0.51; DBP: g = -0.31, 95% CI -0.47 to -0.14), with no difference between premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Regarding exercise modalities, RE is more effective than AE and CE in lowering blood pressure (BP) in women regardless of menopausal status. In conclusion, women's menopausal status does not influence the magnitude of PEH, and the best modality to reduce BP in women seems to be RE.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This meta-analysis has demonstrated that a single bout of exercise induces postexercise hypotension (PEH) in women and that the hormonal shift occurring with menopause does not influence the magnitude of PEH. However, we have shown with moderate evidence that the effectiveness of exercise modalities differs between pre- and postmenopausal women. Resistance and combined exercises are the best modalities to induce PEH in premenopausal women, whereas resistance and aerobic exercises are more effective in postmenopausal women.

Post-exercise hypotension in male spontaneously hypertensive rats: The issue of calculation method.

In spontaneously hypertensive rats, exercise can lead to a post-exercise decrease in blood pressure, named post-exercise hypotension (PEH). This can be following physical training but also after a single bout of mild to moderate exercise when measured with tail-cuff or externalized catheter methods. Our aim was to assess the PEH obtained with different calculation methods and to compare the magnitude of this effect induced by a moderate-intensity continuous exercise or a high-intensity intermittent exercise. Thirteen 16-week-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats performed two types of aerobic exercise (continuous or intermittent) on a treadmill. Arterial pressure was recorded by telemetry for 24 h which was started 3 h before physical exercise. Based on the literature, PEH was first evaluated with two different baseline values, and then with three different approaches. We observed that the identification of PEH depended on the method used to measure the rest value, and that its amplitude was also influenced by the calculation approach and the type of exercise performed. Hence, the calculation method and the amplitude of the detected PEH can significantly influence their physiological and pathophysiological inferences.

Arterial Stiffness and Hemodynamics in Young Women: The Effects of Oral Contraceptive Intake and Physical Habits.

Oral contraceptive (OC) intake seems to be associated with increased central hemodynamics and arterial stiffness. Conversely, physical activity (PA) is known to induce benefits on vascular structure and function, suggesting that the negative effects of the OC pill could be counterbalanced by regular PA. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine (1) whether OC intake in young women is associated with higher values of hemodynamic parameters and arterial stiffness and (2) whether these negative effects could be counterbalanced by regular physical activity. Forty-nine young healthy women (21.9 years ± 2.1) were recruited and divided into 4 groups, depending on their hormonal status (OC users: OC+ or non-OC users: OC-) and their physical habits (active/inactive). Assessments of central hemodynamics (central blood pressure, Aix75) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were performed using applanation tonometry. cBP was higher in OC+ vs. OC-, while PWV was similar between these two groups. No interaction between physical activity and hormonal status was observed for any of these variables. Nevertheless, PWV was lower in young active women compared with age-matched inactive women, suggesting that the positive effect of regular physical exercise on the cardiovascular system is already visible in the first years of women's adulthood, whatever the hormonal status.

A comprehensive study of phospholipid fatty acid rearrangements in metabolic syndrome: correlations with organ dysfunction.

The balance within phospholipids (PLs) between saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids is known to regulate the biophysical properties of cellular membranes. As a consequence, in many cell types, perturbing this balance alters crucial cellular processes, such as vesicular budding and the trafficking/function of membrane-anchored proteins. The worldwide spread of the Western diet, which is highly enriched in saturated fats, has been clearly correlated with the emergence of a complex syndrome known as metabolic syndrome (MetS). MetS is defined as a cluster of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and hepatic steatosis; however, no clear correlations have been established between diet-induced fatty acid redistribution within cellular PLs and the severity/chronology of the symptoms associated with MetS or the function of the targeted organs. To address this issue, in this study we analyzed PL remodeling in rats exposed to a high-fat/high-fructose diet (HFHF) over a 15-week period. PL remodeling was analyzed in several organs, including known MetS targets. We show that fatty acids from the diet can redistribute within PLs in a very selective manner, with phosphatidylcholine being the preferred sink for this redistribution. Moreover, in the HFHF rat model, most organs are protected from this redistribution, at least during the early onset of MetS, at the expense of the liver and skeletal muscles. Interestingly, such a redistribution correlates with clear-cut alterations in the function of these organs.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.

[Dynamics of oxygen uptake during a 100 m front crawl event, performed during competition ]. / Dynamique des réponses aérobies lors d'un 100 m nage libre, réalisé dans des conditions de compétition.

The main purpose of this study is to estimate the dynamics of oxygen uptake (VO2) during a 100 m front crawl event, performed in competition conditions. Eleven trained swimmers participated in 2 separate sessions, in a 25 m swimming pool. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) was determined during a 400 m maximal event. Swimmers also performed a 100 m front crawl in competition conditions, and then, 3 tests (25, 50, and 75 m) following the pacing strategy of the 100 m event. To be free of technical constraints, VO2 was not measured during the tests, but before and just at the end of each test with a 1 min breath-by-breath method. Each post-test VO2 measurement (after 25, 50, 75, and 100 m) allows us to reconstruct the VO2 kinetics of the 100 m performance. Our results differ from previous studies in that VO2 increases faster in the first half of the race (at 50 m, VO2 ≈ 94% VO2max), reaches VO2max at the 75 m mark; then a decrease in VO2 corresponding to 7% of VO2max appears during the last 25 m. These differences are supposed to be mainly the consequences of the adoption of technical elements and a pacing strategy similar to competition conditions. In the future, these observations may lead to different considerations of the bioenergetic contributions.