Abstract 12529: Oral Administration of Eicosapentaenoic Acid Suppresses the Elevation of Arterial Stiffness During Exercise by Improving the Imbalance of Autonomic Activity in Patients With Hypertension and/or Dyslipidemia

Abstract

Background Hypertension (HT) and dyslipidemia (DL) characterized by the autonomic imbalance, induce an inappropriate elevation of arterial stiffness resulting in the onset of cardiovascular disease. Many reports have documented beneficial effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on the arterial stiffness. However, it is unclear whether EPA suppresses an inappropriate elevation of arterial stiffness during exercise in patients with HT and/or DL. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of EPA administration on the autonomic activity and arterial stiffness during exercise in them.

Methods Sixty-two patients (HT, n=47; DL, n=31) were recruited for this study and were administered 1,800 mg of EPA ethyl-ester (purity > 98%) daily for 6 months. Serum EPA was measured and exercise tests using a treadmill and cycle ergometer were performed before and after 6-month treatment period. Patients performed a treadmill exercise according to Bruce protocol to examine heart rate recovery (HRR). They also performed a cycle ergometer exercise at a moderate intensity for 13 minutes to examine the change of serum noradrenalin (NA) and the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (PWV) before and after the exercise ([[Unable to Display Character: ⊿]]NA and [[Unable to Display Character: ⊿]]PWV). The high-frequency (HF) and low-frequency (LF) components of heart rate variability were analyzed using a 24-hour Holter electrocardiogram. The HRR and HF were used as parameters of parasympathetic activity, the [[Unable to Display Character: ⊿]]NA and LF/HF as parameters of sympathetic activity, and the [[Unable to Display Character: ⊿]]PWV as a parameter of functional arterial stiffness. The HRR, HF, [[Unable to Display Character: ⊿]]NA, LF/HF, PWV and [[Unable to Display Character: ⊿]]PWV were compared before and after the treatment period using a paired t-test.

Results Serum level of EPA increased significantly after the treatment period (p<0.01). No significant difference was observed in [[Unable to Display Character: &#8895;]]NA between before and after the treatment period. The HRR and HF were significantly higher after the treatment period than before (P<0.05, respectively). Baseline PWV, [[Unable to Display Character: &#8895;]]PWV and LF/HF were significant lower after the treatment period than before (P<0.05, respectively).

Conclusion Oral administration of EPA suppressed the inappropriate elevation of arterial stiffness during exercise by improving the imbalance of autonomic activity in patients with HT and/or DL.