Date of Award
Summer 2023
Document Type
Final DNP Paper
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Family Nurse Practitioner
Department
Nursing
Faculty Chair
Laura Barrow
Abstract
Background: Hypertension affects many Americans nationwide and, if untreated, can cause heart attack, stroke, and chronic kidney disease. Hypertension (HTN) accounts for about 1 in 5 deaths of U.S. women and is a greater burden for women than men (Wenger et al., 2018). Women who are overweight increase their risk of developing hypertension. Lifestyle modifications, such as diet and exercise, are the first-line treatment for hypertension. Physical exercise is a crucial component of lifestyle therapy for the primary prevention and treatment of hypertension. Several studies consistently demonstrate the beneficial effects of exercise on hypertension, with reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure with as much as 5–7 mmHg reductions in those with hypertension supported in one significant study (Hegde & Solomon, 2015).
Purpose: This project aims to implement physical exercise as a lifestyle modification for women with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 to lower blood pressure.
Methods: The primary intervention of this project was to implement physical exercise as a lifestyle modification in hypertensive females with a BMI greater than 25 by completing an eight-week walking exercise program. The participants engaged in a walking exercise program that consisted of 150 minutes of walking plus two days of muscle-strengthening exercises each week. Participants were encouraged to complete thirty minutes of walking five days a week, with two days consisting of muscle-strengthening exercises. Blood pressure and BMI measurements were obtained before starting the walking exercise program, halfway through the program, and at completion. In addition, participants were encouraged to obtain their blood pressure at least once daily and to obtain weight weekly. Weekly phone calls took place to monitor the progress of each participant.
Results: The exercise program implemented consisted of an eight-week walking program that recommended 150 minutes of walking each week to try and lower blood pressure. Blood pressure measurements were taken before the program, midway (4 weeks), and after completion at eight weeks. A series of Wilcoxon Signed-rank tests were performed to test if any significant differences occurred due to the study's small sample size and the distributions' non-normality. The results indicated no significant systolic blood pressure (SBP) decrease between the periods. A significant decrease in (diastolic blood pressure) DBP was detected when comparing the values recorded in January and March. For BMI, a significant reduction occurred from January to February and from January to March. However, BMI remained the same from February to March.
Conclusion: The project consisted of an eight-week exercise program to determine if 150 minutes of walking plus two days of muscle-strengthening exercises decreased blood pressure in hypertensive females with a BMI greater than 25. The sample size began with 20 females and ended with 16 females. Results indicated no significant decrease in SBP; however, a significant reduction in DBP was determined. The quality improvement project supports that physical exercise as a lifestyle modification can lower blood pressure in hypertensive females with a BMI greater than 25.
Recommended Citation
Pee, Kacee, "Physical Exercise as a Lifestyle Modification to Lower Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Females with a Body Mass Index Greater than 25" (2023). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 109.
https://digitalcommons.jsu.edu/etds_nursing/109