Limitations
injuries, hypertensive
COMPLICATIONS, HBP
The hypertensive elderly participants evaluated in this study were physically active, clinically able to practice physical activity, and had controlled HBP. Thus, our results do not provide information on the heart variability of hypertensive elderly in advanced stages, whose injuries may be more severe. Furthermore, since the HRV parameters were evaluated up to 30 min after recovery, the actual time when all HRV parameters return to their baseline is unknown. Further research should monitor subjects for 24 h post-exercise. Our results were somewhat unexpected because we expected greater differences between cases and controls. Reasons that may justify the effects of aerobic exercise on autonomic balance in elderly hypertensive patients without complications include: a lack of randomization, the control group belonging to a rehabilitation clinic, and physical activity. We do not have any recovery data extending the 30-min observation period, perhaps after an hour or two there might be significant changes. Finally, one of the strengths of this research is that the control group was made up of healthy elderly people who did not take drugs such as diuretics, renin-angin-aldosterone system inhibitors, or beta-blockers. However, we could not compare the two groups in relation to the use of medication.