Evidence mapPaperPMID 41820846Full record

SynthesisBMC cardiovascular disorders2026

The effect of long-term isometric contraction training intervention on blood pressure normalization in prehypertensive individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Haodong Yuan, Jiong Luo, Tingran Zhang

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC cardiovascular disorders, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Haodong YuanCollege of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
Jiong LuoCollege of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China. 784682301@qq.com.
Tingran ZhangCollege of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveIn medicine and sports science, 'acute' denotes short-term or single-session effects, whereas 'non-acute' pertains to long-term, sustained training outcomes. Hypertensive patients need to exercise with caution, especially during isometric exercises, as such exercises may cause a sharp increase in blood pressure. However, long-term non-acute training may bring antihypertensive effects through mechanisms such as improving vascular function and reducing peripheral resistance, without causing acute risks. Therefore, long-term training may be safer than acute exercise. This article explores the cumulative effects of long-term training and quantifies the effects of long-term isometric contraction training on blood pressure (SBP, DBP) values in hypertensive patients, and provides evidence-based guidance for clinical doctors and rehabilitation therapists.

methodThis study was registered in the PROSPERO database, and qualified studies were identified through systematic searches in the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Controlled Trial Center Registry, and EBSCO. The quality evaluation adopted the Cochrane Collaboration Network RCT bias assessment tool, using RevMan 5.4 software for data synthesis, forest plot creation, publication bias assessment, forest map creation, and publication bias assessment. This study has been registered at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (PROSPERO), ID: CRD42024602119.

resultFive randomized controlled trials conducted in English were analyzed. The results showed modest changes in blood pressure relative to the control group: systolic blood pressure (SBP) decreased by an average of 2.31 mmHg (95% CI: -4.37 to 8.98), while diastolic blood pressure (DBP) saw a slight drop of 1.34 mmHg (95% CI: -6.31 to 3.44). As the confidence intervals include zero and show no statistical significance (p > 0.05), these reductions are not statistically significant but may suggest a potential effect worthy of further investigation.

conclusionAlthough modest reductions in SBP and DBP were observed, the magnitude of change (mean SBP reduction: 2.31 mmHg) is below the clinically significant threshold of ≥ 5 mmHg recommended for hypertension management. Current evidence does not support isometric resistance training (IRT) as a standalone effective intervention. However, it may be considered a complementary approach within multimodal non-pharmacological strategies.

Indexed as

Blood PressureExercise TherapyIsometric ContractionPrehypertensionAdultAgedFemaleHumansHypertensionMaleMiddle AgedTime FactorsTreatment OutcomeBlood pressureEqual length contraction trainingHypertensionNon pharmacological therapySystem evaluation

Identifiers

PMID41820846
PMCPMC13093947

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.