The influence of aerobics exercise to cardiovascular functional parameters of 30–40 year old women

Algė Vitartaitė, Alfonsas Vainoras, Virginija Sedekerskienė, Jonas Poderys¹

Kaunas University of Medicine, ¹Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education, Lithuania

Key words: functional indices of cardiovascular system, bicycle ergometry work, women.

Summary. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cardiovascular functional parameter changes for 30–40 year old women following the aerobics exercise program. The material consisted of 14 women, who participated in aerobics exercise 3 times per week (the average age 33.71±1.28 years). The following methods were used in this work: arterial blood pressure measuring, electrocardiogram analysis and bicycle ergometry work. System of ECG analysis “Kaunas-Krūvis” was used for the monitoring of cardiovascular system reactions. 12 ECG standard derivations were synchronically recorded. Physical work method of provocative incremental bicycle ergometry exercise was used. The bicycle ergometry work was performed applying 50 W intensity in the beginning and increasing the power every minute by 25 W. The following functional parameters were estimated in this study: heart rate, arterial blood pressure, JT interval, ST segment depression at rest and in each level of functional load. Results. It was established that heart beat rate of participants statistically significantly decreased (p<0.05) at rest and in each level of functional load after one year of regular aerobics exercise. Although JT interval values of participating women were higher during the second examination than during the first one, only in one level of functional load (at 75 W power) there was statistically significant (p<0.05) increase of this parameter. Statistically significant decrease (p<0.05) at 50 W and 75 W intensity of ST segment depression was observed in the examination. The systolic blood pressure of women, who were engaged in the aerobics exercise, did not change; the diastolic blood pressure statistically significantly decreased (p<0.05), when participant achieved 75 W and 100 W intensity. Conclusion. Aerobics exercise is the proper physical activity form for 30–40 year old women for the developing of cardiovascular functional parameters.

Correspondence to A. Vitartaitė, Department of Kinesiology and Sports Medicine, Kaunas University of Medicine, M. Jankaus 2, 3000 Kaunas, Lithuania. E-mail: algevitartaite@hotmail.com

Received 24 November 2003, accepted 12 February 2004