Effects of a single bout of exercise on arterial compliance in older adults

The effects of acute exercise on arterial compliance in older adults are unknown. Large and small arterial compliance were assessed during and 24 hours following a 30-minute bicycle ergometer test and on a nonexercise, control condition. The change in large artery compliance was similar between the exercise and nonexercise conditions (P = 0.876). Small artery compliance during the exercise day was higher than the nonexercise day at 45, 60, and 75 minutes following exercise (P <.001), was 17% higher 30 minutes postexercise than at rest (P <.001), and decreased by 20% between 30 minutes (4.5 ± 0.4 mL/mm Hg × 100) and 120 minutes (3.6 ± 0.3 mL/mm Hg × 100) after exercise (P =.027). The current study shows 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise transiently increases small arterial compliance 30 minutes after exercise but does not elicit more sustained increases in either large or small arterial compliance.