Abstract
Background
Hypertension is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases and a leading cause of mortality worldwide. High blood pressure levels can be modified and controlled through both drug and non-drug treatments, such as physical exercise. However, the effects of strength training on hypertension is still not consensual in the literature.
Objectives
The current review aimed to investigate, synthesize, and discuss the effects of strength training for treatment of hypertension in adults.
Method
Six electronic databases; MEDLINE (through PubMed), Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Scopus, Lilacs, and the World Health Organization will be searched for randomized controlled trials which investigated a strength training intervention longer than 8 weeks to prevent or treat high blood pressure. The search will be performed in December 2020, by two independent reviewers. Studies published from database inception up to 2020, in English or Portuguese languages, will be included. The PICO question is defined as follows: Patients who have Hypertension; Intervention of strength training treatment; Comparison with patients without strength training or strength training pre- and post-treatment; and Outcome which reports clinical indices (crude number or proportion of variation). The risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane tool. The primary outcomes will be whether strength training interventions promote changes in blood pressure and its hypotensive effects. Secondary outcomes will analyze the intervention protocols of strength training on blood pressure, in order to synthesize, discuss, and determine the best type of protocol to be used in hypertension treatment in the adult population. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020151269.
Authors contribution
We declare that all authors have made substantial contributions. GRT as the guarantor of the article. GRT, JCR, and ASCV designed the systematic review. GRT, WRT, and JCR drafted the protocol and ASCV, JCR, WRT, and GRT revised the manuscript. GRT, JCR, and RRC will screen the titles, abstracts, and keywords of all retrieved records and extract data independently. JCR and ASCV will assess the risk of bias independently. JCR, WRT, and ASCV will deal with the missing data and arbitrate any disagreements in the review. All review authors approved the publication of the protocol. Conceptualization: GRT, WRT and JCR; Data curation: JCR, ASCV, and RRC; Resources: GRT; Software: GRT and WRT.
Disclosure statement
The authors state there is no conflict of interest to declare with regard to this research.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
William Rodrigues Tebar
William Rodrigues Tebar has graduated in BSc in Physical Education, MSc in Public Health - Epidemiology, and PhD in Movement Science, acting in research topics of cardiovascular health and lifestyle behaviors in populational studies.
Jéssica Costa Rufino
Jéssica Costa Rufino has graduated in Physical Education at São Paulo State University. She is also a Member of the Exercise Biology Experimental Laboratory - LEBioEx.
Allice Santos Cruz Veras
Allice Santos Cruz Veras has graduated in MSc in Movement Sciences and PhD student in Physiological Sciences at São Paulo State University. She is also a Member of the Exercise Biology Experimental Laboratory - LEBioEx.
Rafael Ribeiro Correia
Rafael Ribeiro Correia is a graduate student in Physical Education at São Paulo State University. She is also a Member of the Exercise Biology Experimental Laboratory - LEBioEx.
Giovana Rampazzo Teixeira
Giovana Rampazzo Texeira is an Assistant Professor at São Paulo State University, Department of Physical Education. PhD in General and Applied Biology and Coordinator of the Exercise Biology Experimental Laboratory - LEBioEx.