INTRODUÇÃO: A hipertensão arterial resistente pode levar ao desuso muscular e redução da capacidade funcional devido a lesões arteriais e de órgãos-alvo. O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar a força muscular e resistência à fadiga do quadríceps em indivíduos com hipertensão primária resistente após um programa de exercícios de resistência. MÉTODOS: Seis pacientes sob tratamento farmacológico foram submetidos a um programa de treinamento muscular do quadríceps por 4 semanas (8-14 repetições, 3 séries, 3 dias por semana). Força foi avaliada por meio de dinamometria isométrica e apresentada como o percentual de alteração na contração voluntária máxima ao longo do programa de treinamento. Fadiga foi analisada por meio da eletromiografia de superfície como a alteração tanto na raiz quadrática média e no ponto de interceptação da inclinação da frequência mediana dos músculos vasto lateral e medial. RESULTADOS: Foi observado aumento significante na força isométrica máxima (p = 0,04). A tolerância à fadiga não foi alterada, como evidenciado pela raiz quadrática média ou interceptação da frequência mediana (p > 0,05). Adicionalmente, não foram observadas alterações significativas na pressão arterial de repouso e frequência cardíaca ao longo do programa. CONCLUSÃO: O protocolo prescrito aumentou a força muscular localizada sem alterar negativamente as variáveis cardiovasculares monitoradas nos pacientes com hipertensão resistente sob tratamento farmacológico.

INTRODUCTION: Resistant arterial hypertension may lead to muscle disuse and reduced functional capacity due to arterial and target-organs lesions. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the quadriceps strength and fatigue tolerance after a program of resistance exercise in subjects with resistant primary hypertension. METHODS: Six patients under pharmacological treatment were submitted to a four-week resistance exercise training program for the quadriceps (8-14 repetitions, 3 sets, 3 days per week). Strength was evaluated by isometric dynamometry, as the percentage change in maximum voluntary contraction over the four week program. Fatigue was analyzed by surface electromyography, as the change in both root mean square value and intercept of median frequency slope of vastus medialis and vastus lateralis. RESULTS: Significant increase in the maximum voluntary contraction was observed (p = 0.04). Fatigue tolerance was not improved as seen by root mean square as well as in the intercept of median frequency (p > 0.05). Additionally, no significant changes were observed in resting arterial blood pressure and heart rate throughout the training period. CONCLUSION: The prescribed protocol seemed to successfully increase localized muscle strength without negatively affecting the monitored cardiovascular variables in patients with resistant hypertension under pharmacological treatment.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between body adiposity and postural control in elderly women. INTRODUCTION: Aging and obesity account for a significant portion of healthcare spending. Life expectancy is increasing worldwide, and Rio de Janeiro has the largest proportion of elderly residents of all Brazilian states. METHODS: A total of 45 women underwent bioelectrical impedance analysis, waist circumference measurements, weight and height measurements, and stabilometric tests in eight different stance conditions (opened and closed bases with both eyes opened and closed and right and left tandem and unilateral stances with eyes opened). During unilateral stances, the number of hand or foot contacts was counted. RESULTS: Weight, body mass index, waist circumference, fat percentage, and fat mass showed statistically significant (p,0.05) and positive correlations with the number of contacts made during unilateral stances. The subjects with greater fat mass showed significantly higher anterior-posterior standard deviation and range when their eyes were closed. The sway area was also greater for this group in opened base when their eyes were closed. DISCUSSION: The results relating body adiposity and postural control can be explained by the difficulty of maintaining a greater quantity of body fat mass within the limits of the individual support base, especially while assuming a unilateral stance. CONCLUSION: The subjects with a greater fat mass exhibited poor balance control, indicating that body adiposity level was associated with postural control in the elderly women examined in the present study.