Hypertension And Functional Capacities In Community-dwelling Older Women: A Cross-sectional Study

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)The present study aimed to investigate the association between hypertension and physical/functional capacities in community-dwelling older females.Materials and methods: Older female volunteers were dichotomized in two groups: hypertensive (n=134) and normotensive (n=244). Volunteers had their medical records reviewed and underwent evaluations of anthropometric data (weight, height and body mass index) and of physical and functional capacities.Results: The results showed that hypertensive older females presented higher values for age, weight, body mass index, and resting diastolic blood pressure than normotensive older females. Normotensive older females showed a higher performance in the one-leg stand test and six-minute walk test compared with hypertensive older females. Age, body mass index, maximal walking speed, performance in the Time Up and Go and six-minute walk test, and diagnosis of diabetes mellitus type II were factors associated with hypertension using the chi-square test. However, the multivariate regression analysis indicated that performance in the six-minute walk test was the only factor associated with hypertension.Conclusions: The patients with higher scores in the six-minute walk test, which is associated with aerobic capacity, show less odds to have clinical diagnosis of hypertension. However, hypertension was not associated with poor physical and functional capacity.263156165Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)CNPq (BPQ)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq