Abstract
Introduction: The rate pressure product (RPP) is a non-invasive method used as an index to measure myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) on physiological responses. It is the product of heart rate (HR) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (RPP = HR x SBP/100). Past studies have investigated the RPP on exercise response and produced positive outcomes. However, the data is limited for racialised groups such as individuals of black African descent and South Asians. This is despite their experiencing similar cardiovascular risk.
Objective: This study sought to accomplish two key goals: 1) to evaluate and contrast the responses of blood pressure (BP), HR, and RPP following ten sessions of low-impact dance aerobics in African Canadian and South Asian cardiac patients, and 2) to assess the degree of health improvements within these demographic groups.
Methods: 160 patients, divided evenly between African Canadians and South Asians, all with hypertension or associated conditions, were encouraged to participate in 10 exercise sessions. A range of variables were recorded before and after the exercise sessions. Subsequently, a multitude of statistical methodologies were leveraged to dissect the collected data.
Results: The study unveiled substantial differences in SBP and HR (p < 0.05) between the two groups both prior to and after the exercise sessions, although the shifts in RPP (p > 0.05) did not yield statistical significance. Improvements were also observed in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP) measurements from the baseline to the point after exercise.
Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated enhancements in BP and various cardiovascular functionalities following exercise in African Canadian and South Asian participants. These results underline the importance of acknowledging the nuanced variances in BP and RPP responses to exercise across different ethnicities. This understanding allows pinpointing specific groups predisposed to a heightened risk of severe cardiovascular ailments. Tailored exercise interventions can then be formulated to cater to these particular groups' needs, thereby contributing to the overall reduction of the cardiovascular disease burden.