Gender Differences in Cardiovascular Response to Upper Extremities Isometric Exercises in Normotensive Subjects

Background and objective: Studies on gender differences in cardiovascular responses to isometric exercise have been numerous and conflicting. The objective of this study was to determine if the cardiovascular responses to upper extremities isometric exercises differ between apparently healthy male end female subjects. Methods: One hundred and sixty apparently healthy adults with the mean age of 39.0 ± 11.04 years were consecutively recruited into the study. This consisted of 80 males (39.0 ± 10.82 years) and 80 females (38.96 ± 11.25). Data were obtained on participants' age, height, weight, body mass index, blood pressure, heart rate, and Rate Pressure Product. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation. Independent t-test was used to compare physical characteristics between genders while repeated measure of ANOVA was used to compare the pre and post isometric exercises cardiovascular parameters between genders. Level of significance for all tests was set at p< 0.05. Results: The baseline cardiovascular parameters were not significantly different (p> 0.05) between the male and the female participants. The post exercise cardiovascular parameters were significantly greater (p< 0.05) than the baseline values without gender bias. However, the post exercise SBP and RPP were significantly different (p< 0.05) between the male and the female participants respectively. Conclusion: Isometric exercises of the upper limbs can lead to a significant increase in cardiovascular parameters among apparently healthy male and female subjects. Higher ventricular contraction is evoked among males leading increased SBP while the myocardial oxygen uptake and the measure of the oxygen consumption of the heart muscles of the female participants in response to upper extremities isometric exercises is higher than that of the males as demonstrated by the RPP. Key words: Isometric exercises, cardiovascular response, upper extremities exercises.