PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TO LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE IN HYPERTENSIVE ELDERLY: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is a hazardous cardiovascular disease with a high risk of causing fatal conditions such as stroke, dementia, and various heart diseases. The prevalence of hypertension doubled from 650 million to 13 billion between 1990 and 2019, necessitating effective management strategies. Objective: This integrative review aims to systematically evaluate the impact of the frequency, intensity, type, and duration of physical activity on blood pressure among elderly individuals with hypertension. Methods: This review involves a literature search in five databases (PubMed, Proquest, Cinahl, Scopus, and Garuda) using keywords related to hypertension and physical activity. The inclusion criteria are quantitative English or Indonesian studies published in the last five years, with participants aged 60 and above. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed using the 9-item Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) checklist. Results: Findings indicate that low to moderate-intensity aerobic exercises such as stationary cycling and continuous or intermittent walking significantly reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure in elderly individuals with hypertension. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and resistance training also show notable post-exercise hypotensive effects. Conclusion: Physical activity is crucial for managing and lowering blood pressure in elderly individuals with hypertension. Aerobic exercises such as walking and cycling effectively reduce blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health. Resistance training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) also contribute to lowering blood pressure and enhancing vascular health. These findings support integrating physical activity programs in managing hypertension in the elderly and highlight the need for further research to refine exercise prescriptions.