# Chrono-exercise is Medicine: Improving Blood Pressure and Vascular Function through Chronotherapy

> **NIH NIH R01** · MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $633,127

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
This proposal will determine if exercise chronotherapy improves nocturnal blood pressure (BP) in older adults
with hypertension. Hypertension is the leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is the
leading cause of death in the U.S. Hypertension is estimated to affect 75% of older adults. While typically
managed using a combination of medications and lifestyle modifications, it is estimated that only 21% of adults
with hypertension have controlled BP. Therefore, optimizing treatment options for adults with hypertension is of
paramount importance. Nocturnal BP is an emerging target in the management of BP, given its association
with cardiovascular outcomes. Chronotherapy combined with hypertension medications is effective at lowering
nocturnal BP and future cardiovascular risk, with medications taken in the evening being more effective than
medications taken in the morning. Preliminary evidence suggests chronotherapy combined with exercise (i.e.,
planned physical activity) may impact the acute and chronic responses to exercise. This research will
characterize diurnal rhythms of vascular health outcomes across age and disease and guide timing of exercise
intervention and outcome assessment, which will lead to improved BP management and vascular function.
Three specific aims will accomplish this goal. Aim 1 will comprehensively evaluate the effect of age and
hypertension on macrovascular and microvascular diurnal rhythms. Endothelial function, microvascular
function and arterial stiffness will be evaluated along with 48-hr ambulatory BP monitoring and physical activity
tracking in young and older males and females with and without hypertension. Aim 2 will study the acute BP
and vascular responses to exercise performed at different times of the day, focusing on nocturnal BP, post-
exercise hypotension, and morning vascular function. Older males and females with hypertension will complete
a session of aerobic and isometric handgrip exercise in the morning and late afternoon/evening. BP will be
evaluated immediately following exercise and for 24-hr using ambulatory BP monitoring. Endothelial and
microvascular function will also be evaluated the morning after each exercise bout. Aim 3 will determine the
long-term impacts of exercise chronotherapy by evaluating exercise training time of day effects on nocturnal
BP and vascular function in postmenopausal women with hypertension. Participants will complete two 6-week
periods of aerobic and isometric handgrip exercise training with one period in the morning and one in the late
afternoon/evening. Ambulatory BP and vascular function will be assessed pre- and post-training and compared
between time of day. The overarching hypothesis is that hypertension is characterized by the reduction of
diurnal rhythms in vascular function and that evening exercise in this population will be more effective than
morning exercise at lowering BP and improving vascular health both...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10821473
- **Project number:** 5R01HL164575-02
- **Recipient organization:** MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** KATHARINE DIANNE CURRIE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $633,127
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-01 → 2027-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10821473

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10821473, Chrono-exercise is Medicine: Improving Blood Pressure and Vascular Function through Chronotherapy (5R01HL164575-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10821473. Licensed CC0.

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