The aim of this study was to describe, through a systematic review, the acute and chronic effects of isometric handgrip exercise on cardiovascular variables in hypertensive individuals. In this systematic review, we included studies that analyzed whether a single bout or a program with isometric exercises affect cardiovascular variables in hypertensive adults. The electronic database PubMed/Medline was searched for relevant studies published until May 2017. Of the 2927 studies initially identified, 2916 were excluded based on title and abstract and five on the basis of full-text assessment, leaving six studies remaining. In addition, one further study cited in the references of the included articles was included in this review, totaling seven studies included (five studies on the chronic effects of isometric handgrip exercise on cardiovascular parameters). None of the acute studies observed post-exercise hypotension. The majority of the chronic studies found decreases in office blood pressure after isometric handgrip training, with training ranging from 6 to 10 weeks, while heart rate variability parameters were improved in one study and did not change in another. Reduction in oxidative stress was observed; however, this variable was only analyzed in one study. In hypertensives, acute responses to isometric handgrip exercise are very limited due to the small number of studies, therefore more research is required. Furthermore, chronic isometric handgrip training reduces blood pressure; however, there is still a gap in the knowledge on the effects of this modality of exercise on other cardiovascular variables—such as endothelial function, oxidative stress, and cardiac autonomic modulation—which should be addressed in future studies.

The benefits of the regular exercise on quality of life of individuals living with a headache are well known. However, whether the benefits of the exercise training on headache parameters (i.e., intensity, frequency, and pain duration) occur in an intensity-dependent fashion remains unknown. Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of different exercise intensities on headache parameters. Design: A systematic review of clinical trials that analyzed the effect of physical exercise on headache, without time or language restriction. The TESTEX scale was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the articles. Results: Sixteen (16) articles were included with interventions with aerobic training and resistance training. Primary results are positive effects of exercise on migraine symptoms, tension-type headache among others, and a decrease in the use of headache-related medications. On the other hand, the studies did not provide information on exercise intensity, especially studies with aerobic exercises. The intensities used for aerobic training was mostly controlled subjectively and the resistance training ranged from 10% to 80% of maximum repetition. Conclusions: Exercise had a positive influence on the frequency and severity of headache crises, although the studies presented inconclusive data regarding the exercise parameters.

The present study analyzed blood pressure responses after a single session of isometric handgrip exercise performed with different volumes and intensities by patients with hypertension.This randomized crossover trial submitted 12 hypertensive patients ...