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Effects of isometric resistance training on resting blood pressure: individual participant data meta-analysis

IPD meta-analysis (12 studies, 326 participants) finds isometric resistance training lowers resting systolic BP by about 6.2 mmHg and diastolic BP by about 2.8 mmHg versus control, with similar estimates in one-step and two-step IPD approaches.

Design

  • Type: systematic review + individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis
  • Corpus: 12 studies (14 intervention comparisons), n = 326 (52.7% on antihypertensive medication)
  • Intervention: isometric resistance training (IRT) — intensity 8–30% MVC, duration 3–12 weeks

One-step IPD pooled changes vs control

  • SBP: −6.22 mmHg (95% CI −7.75 to −4.68; P < 0.00001)
  • DBP: −2.78 mmHg (95% CI −3.92 to −1.65; P = 0.002)
  • MAP: −4.12 mmHg (95% CI −5.39 to −2.85; P < 0.00001)

Robustness

  • Two-step IPD approach produced similar magnitude signals in abstract (SBP ~−7.35 mmHg).
  • Subgroup narrative: no clear modification by baseline medication status, CAD history, or programme features in reported analyses—still read primary tables.

Protocol placement

Filed under Resistance training as IRT evidence; do not merge effect sizes with dynamic set–rep programmes (Cornelissen 2011 row) without modelling modality explicitly.

Publication

Smart NA, Way D, Carlson D, et al. J Hypertens. 2019 Oct;37(10):1927-1938. PMID 30889048.

Outcomes

  • Systolic Blood Pressure
    -6.22
    mmHg (Millimetres of Mercury)
  • Diastolic Blood Pressure
    -2.78
    mmHg (Millimetres of Mercury)
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