Two-week paramedic hospital training augments blood pressure response to isometric handgrip exercise in healthy young men

Persistent stressful situations can have detrimental cardiovascular effects; however, effects on the blood pressure (BP) response to exercise have not been fully examined. This study investigated the impact of a 2-wk stressful situation on the exercise pressor response. Eight healthy male university paramedic trainees underwent a 2-wk paramedic hospital training and a control period study. Pre- and postintervention, BP responses to the exercise test [2-min submaximal isometric handgrip (IHG) exercise followed by postexercise muscle ischemia (PEMI)] and cold pressure test (CPT) were assessed. A stress biomarker, salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) activity, significantly increased after hospital training (Pre: 8.8 +/- 4.6; Post: 15.5 +/- 7.3 kU/L; P = 0.036), whereas no significant changes were observed in the control period (Pre: 11.3 +/- 3.6; Post: 10.4 +/- 4.5 kU/L). Although no significant trial (hospital training vs. control)-by-intervention (pre- vs. post-2-wk period) interactions were detected in the mean arterial pressure (MAP) response to PEMI or CPT, a significant interaction in the MAP response to IHG exercise was noted (Delta 48.9 +/- 11.2 to Delta 55.5 +/- 9.1 mmHg, hospital training; Delta 53.2 +/- 14.1 to Delta 51.2 +/- 11.9 mmHg, control; P = 0.035). Consequently, changes in the sAA and MAP preintervention to postintervention showed a significant correlation (tau = 0.397, P = 0.036). Results showed that stressful paramedic hospital training augmented BP response to IHG exercise. This suggests that prolonged stressful situations increase pressor response to exercise, particularly in cases involving healthy young men. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Exposure to prolonged stressful situations augmented the blood pressure response to submaximal isometric exercise in healthy young men. This finding suggests that monitoring cardiovascular responses during exercise under chronic stress conditions could be important.