Trial Outcomes & Findings for Exercise and Vascular Function in Postmenopausal Females With Hypertension (NCT NCT05597033)

Last Updated: 2026-08-28

Results Overview

Nocturnal systolic blood pressure obtained over a 24-hr period following each experimental visit. Measures were taken every 30-60 minutes over a 24-hour period. Asleep time was determined using wrist-worn actigraphy cross-referenced to self-reported sleep diaries. Systolic blood pressure measures during the sleeping (nocturnal) time were averaged and reported.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

Target enrollment

68 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

Assessed the evening following each experimental visit (e.g., ~11-12 hours following morning visits and ~2-3 hours following evening visits, depending on their bedtime)

Results posted on

2026-08-28

Participant Flow

Individuals were recruited from the local community using word of mouth, email advertisements and flyers posted in medical clinics.

Our statistical analysis plan required 42 participants; we enrolled 68 to account for excluding people who did not meet the blood pressure inclusion criteria or who did not pass the exercise stress test. Once the inclusion/exclusion criteria and negative stress test were confirmed, each participant completed the experimental visits.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure	Experimental Visits Each participant completed the following four experimental visits: Morning Control (AM CON): assessments in the morning; visit did not include exercise. Morning Exercise (AM EX): assessments in the morning; visit included a standardized exercise bout. Evening Control (PM CON): assessments in the evening; visit did not include exercise. Evening Exercise (PM EX): assessments in the evening; visit included a standardized exercise bout.
Overall Study STARTED	68
Overall Study COMPLETED	42
Overall Study NOT COMPLETED	26

Reasons for withdrawal

Withdrawal data not reported

Baseline Characteristics

Exercise and Vascular Function in Postmenopausal Females With Hypertension

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure	Experimental Visits n=42 Participants Each participant completed the following four experimental visits: Morning Control: assessments in the morning; visit did not include exercise. Morning Exercise: assessments in the morning; visit included a standardized exercise bout. Evening Control: assessments in the evening; visit did not include exercise. Evening Exercise: assessments in the evening; visit included a standardized exercise bout.
Age, Customized Age	67 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 7 • n=31 Participants
Sex: Female, Male Female	42 Participants n=31 Participants
Sex: Female, Male Male	0 Participants n=31 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) American Indian or Alaska Native	0 Participants n=31 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) Asian	1 Participants n=31 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	0 Participants n=31 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) Black or African American	14 Participants n=31 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) White	27 Participants n=31 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) More than one race	0 Participants n=31 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) Unknown or Not Reported	0 Participants n=31 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Hispanic or Latino	1 Participants n=31 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Not Hispanic or Latino	41 Participants n=31 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Unknown or Not Reported	0 Participants n=31 Participants
Use of anti-hypertensive medications None	5 Participants n=31 Participants
Use of anti-hypertensive medications AM routine only	17 Participants n=31 Participants
Use of anti-hypertensive medications PM routine only	8 Participants n=31 Participants
Use of anti-hypertensive medications AM and PM routine	12 Participants n=31 Participants
Body mass index	30.9 kg/m2 STANDARD_DEVIATION 5.3 • n=31 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Assessed the evening following each experimental visit (e.g., ~11-12 hours following morning visits and ~2-3 hours following evening visits, depending on their bedtime)

Population: AM CON = values obtained after the morning control (no-exercise) visit; AM EX = values obtained after the morning exercise visit; PM CON = values obtained after the evening control (no-exercise) visit; PM EX = values obtained after the evening exercise visit.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Experimental Visits n=42 Participants Each participant completed the following four experimental visits: Morning Control: assessments in the morning; visit did not include exercise. Morning Exercise: assessments in the morning; visit included a standardized exercise bout. Evening Control: assessments in the evening; visit did not include exercise. Evening Exercise: assessments in the evening; visit included a standardized exercise bout.
Nocturnal Systolic Blood Pressure Evening Exercise	118 mmHg Standard Deviation 14
Nocturnal Systolic Blood Pressure Evening Control	119 mmHg Standard Deviation 12
Nocturnal Systolic Blood Pressure Morning Control	118 mmHg Standard Deviation 13
Nocturnal Systolic Blood Pressure Morning Exercise	121 mmHg Standard Deviation 15

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Assessed the evening following each experimental visit (e.g., ~11-12 hours following morning visits and ~2-3 hours following evening visits, depending on their bedtime)

Nocturnal diastolic blood pressure obtained over a 24-hr period following each experimental visit. Measures were taken every 30-60 minutes over a 24-hour period. Asleep time was determined using wrist-worn actigraphy cross-referenced to self-reported sleep diaries. Diastolic blood pressure measures during the sleeping (nocturnal) time were averaged and reported.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Experimental Visits n=42 Participants Each participant completed the following four experimental visits: Morning Control: assessments in the morning; visit did not include exercise. Morning Exercise: assessments in the morning; visit included a standardized exercise bout. Evening Control: assessments in the evening; visit did not include exercise. Evening Exercise: assessments in the evening; visit included a standardized exercise bout.
Nocturnal Diastolic Blood Pressure Morning Control	64 mmHg Standard Deviation 10
Nocturnal Diastolic Blood Pressure Morning Exercise	65 mmHg Standard Deviation 11
Nocturnal Diastolic Blood Pressure Evening Control	64 mmHg Standard Deviation 10
Nocturnal Diastolic Blood Pressure Evening Exercise	64 mmHg Standard Deviation 10

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Control AM and PM visits: at 30 minutes following the start of quiet seated rest; Exercise AM and PM visits: immediately pre-exercise and at 30-minutes immediately post-exercise

Seated blood pressures were obtained before (Pre-EX) and for 30-minutes (Post-EX) following the morning (AM) and evening (PM) exercise bouts. On the control (CON) visits, blood pressures were obtained during 30-minutes of quiet seated rest. The lowest value obtained during the CON and Post-EX periods were used for comparison. Within each time of day (AM or PM), Post-EX were compared to Pre-EX and CON.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Experimental Visits n=42 Participants Each participant completed the following four experimental visits: Morning Control: assessments in the morning; visit did not include exercise. Morning Exercise: assessments in the morning; visit included a standardized exercise bout. Evening Control: assessments in the evening; visit did not include exercise. Evening Exercise: assessments in the evening; visit included a standardized exercise bout.
Early (In-lab) Post-exercise Hypotension (Systolic Blood Pressure) AM CON	135 mmHg Standard Deviation 13
Early (In-lab) Post-exercise Hypotension (Systolic Blood Pressure) AM Pre-EX	136 mmHg Standard Deviation 15
Early (In-lab) Post-exercise Hypotension (Systolic Blood Pressure) AM Post-EX	124 mmHg Standard Deviation 15
Early (In-lab) Post-exercise Hypotension (Systolic Blood Pressure) PM CON	131 mmHg Standard Deviation 16
Early (In-lab) Post-exercise Hypotension (Systolic Blood Pressure) PM Pre-EX	141 mmHg Standard Deviation 16
Early (In-lab) Post-exercise Hypotension (Systolic Blood Pressure) PM Post-EX	126 mmHg Standard Deviation 15

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Control AM and PM visits: at 30 minutes following the start of quiet seated rest; Exercise AM and PM visits: immediately pre-exercise and at 30-minutes immediately post-exercise

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Experimental Visits n=42 Participants Each participant completed the following four experimental visits: Morning Control: assessments in the morning; visit did not include exercise. Morning Exercise: assessments in the morning; visit included a standardized exercise bout. Evening Control: assessments in the evening; visit did not include exercise. Evening Exercise: assessments in the evening; visit included a standardized exercise bout.
Early (In-lab) Post-exercise Hypotension (Diastolic Blood Pressure) AM CON	78 mmHg Standard Deviation 9
Early (In-lab) Post-exercise Hypotension (Diastolic Blood Pressure) AM Pre-EX	78 mmHg Standard Deviation 11
Early (In-lab) Post-exercise Hypotension (Diastolic Blood Pressure) AM Post-EX	74 mmHg Standard Deviation 11
Early (In-lab) Post-exercise Hypotension (Diastolic Blood Pressure) PM CON	75 mmHg Standard Deviation 9
Early (In-lab) Post-exercise Hypotension (Diastolic Blood Pressure) PM Pre-EX	78 mmHg Standard Deviation 10
Early (In-lab) Post-exercise Hypotension (Diastolic Blood Pressure) PM Post-EX	75 mmHg Standard Deviation 11

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Assessed during a non-exercise control visit (AM CON) and the morning after AM and PM exercise. Post-AM EX assessment occurred ~23 hours post-AM exercise and Post-PM EX assessment occurred ~14 hours post-PM exercise.

Flow mediated dilation of the brachial artery. Preliminary analysis is complete and results are undergoing verification and finalization. Finalized results are anticipated in 09/2026

Outcome measures

Outcome data not reported

SECONDARY outcome

Rapid onset vasodilation of the popliteal artery. Preliminary analysis is complete and results are undergoing verification and finalization. Finalized results are anticipated in 09/2026.

Outcome measures

Outcome data not reported

OTHER_PRE_SPECIFIED outcome

Timeframe: Assessed for 24 hours following the completion of each experimental visit

Systolic blood pressure obtained over a 24-hr period following each experimental visit. Measures were taken every 30-60 minutes over a 24-hour period. Systolic blood pressures across the 24-hour period were averaged and reported.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Experimental Visits n=42 Participants Each participant completed the following four experimental visits: Morning Control: assessments in the morning; visit did not include exercise. Morning Exercise: assessments in the morning; visit included a standardized exercise bout. Evening Control: assessments in the evening; visit did not include exercise. Evening Exercise: assessments in the evening; visit included a standardized exercise bout.
24-hr Systolic Blood Pressure AM CON	131 mmHg Standard Deviation 10
24-hr Systolic Blood Pressure AM EX	133 mmHg Standard Deviation 11
24-hr Systolic Blood Pressure PM CON	133 mmHg Standard Deviation 11
24-hr Systolic Blood Pressure PM EX	133 mmHg Standard Deviation 10

OTHER_PRE_SPECIFIED outcome

Timeframe: Assessed for 24 hours following the completion of each experimental visit

Diastolic blood pressure obtained over a 24-hr period following each experimental visit. Measures were taken every 30-60 minutes over a 24-hour period. Diastolic blood pressures across the 24-hour period were averaged and reported.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Experimental Visits n=42 Participants Each participant completed the following four experimental visits: Morning Control: assessments in the morning; visit did not include exercise. Morning Exercise: assessments in the morning; visit included a standardized exercise bout. Evening Control: assessments in the evening; visit did not include exercise. Evening Exercise: assessments in the evening; visit included a standardized exercise bout.
24-hr Diastolic Blood Pressure AM CON	73 mmHg Standard Deviation 9
24-hr Diastolic Blood Pressure AM EX	75 mmHg Standard Deviation 10
24-hr Diastolic Blood Pressure PM CON	74 mmHg Standard Deviation 9
24-hr Diastolic Blood Pressure PM EX	75 mmHg Standard Deviation 8

OTHER_PRE_SPECIFIED outcome

Timeframe: Assessed for 24 hours following the completion of each experimental visit

Awake systolic blood pressure obtained over a 24-hr period following each experimental visit. Measures were taken every 30-60 minutes over a 24-hour period. Awake time was determined using wrist-worn actigraphy cross-referenced to self-reported sleep diaries. Systolic blood pressure measures during the awake time were averaged and reported.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Experimental Visits n=42 Participants Each participant completed the following four experimental visits: Morning Control: assessments in the morning; visit did not include exercise. Morning Exercise: assessments in the morning; visit included a standardized exercise bout. Evening Control: assessments in the evening; visit did not include exercise. Evening Exercise: assessments in the evening; visit included a standardized exercise bout.
Awake Systolic Blood Pressure AM CON	137 mmHg Standard Deviation 10
Awake Systolic Blood Pressure AM EX	138 mmHg Standard Deviation 11
Awake Systolic Blood Pressure PM CON	140 mmHg Standard Deviation 12
Awake Systolic Blood Pressure PM EX	139 mmHg Standard Deviation 10

OTHER_PRE_SPECIFIED outcome

Timeframe: Assessed for 24 hours following the completion of each experimental visit

Awake diastolic blood pressure obtained over a 24-hr period following each experimental visit. Measures were taken every 30-60 minutes over a 24-hour period. Awake time was determined using wrist-worn actigraphy cross-referenced to self-reported sleep diaries. Diastolic blood pressure measures during the awake time were averaged and reported.