Findings of network meta-analyses. Change from baseline systolic blood pressure (mmHg) achieved when comparing different types of exercise versus classes of drugs
| – | Endurance | Resistance | Isometric | Combination* | ACE-I | ARB | β-blocker | CCB | Diuretic |
| Endurance | – | 1.46 (−2.05 to 4.99) | 3.77 (−1.73 to 9.21) | −4.81 (−7.99 to –1.61) | 1.35 (−0.64 to 3.31) | 0.55 (−1.45 to 2.55) | −1.81 (−3.82 to 0.186) | −3.70 (−7.64 to 0.27) | 0.66 (−1.33 to 2.66) |
| Resistance | 1.37 (−0.15 to 2.92) | – | 2.32 (−4.02 to 8.61) | −6.26 (−10.67 to –1.90) | −0.11 (−3.73 to 3.50) | −0.90 (−4.52 to 2.71) | −3.27 (−6.91 to 0.33) | −5.15 (−10.16 to –0.20) | −0.78 (−4.41 to 2.83) |
| Isometric | −0.76 (−3.40 to 1.86) | −2.15 (−5.04 to 0.75) | – | −8.58 (−14.68 to –2.45) | −2.42 (−7.89 to 3.08) | −3.21 (−8.70 to 2.31) | −5.59 (−11.04 to –0.05) | −7.48 (−13.91 to –0.96) | −3.11 (−8.55 to 2.441) |
| Combination* | −1.61 (−3.34 to 0.12) | −2.98 (−5.04 to –0.93) | −0.84 (−3.85 to 2.13) | – | 6.16 (2.81 to 9.48) | 5.37 (2.03 to 8.70) | 3.00 (−0.38 to 6.32) | 1.11 (−3.66 to 5.86) | 5.48 (2.13 to 8.82) |
| ACE-I | −2.45 (−4.07 to –0.82) | −3.83 (−5.83 to –1.83) | −1.67 (−4.57 to 1.20) | −0.83 (−3.03 to 1.35) | – | −0.78 (−2.60 to 1.02) | −3.16 (−5.12 to –1.21) | −5.04 (−8.98 to –1.13) | −0.67 (−2.50 to 1.14) |
| ARB | −3.26 (−4.96 to –1.60) | −4.64 (−6.65 to –2.61) | −2.49 (−5.42 to 0.43) | −1.64 (−3.89 to 0.57) | −0.81 (−2.72 to 1.07) | – | −2.37 (−4.34 to –0.41) | −4.25 (−8.18 to –0.33) | 0.11 (−1.68 to 1.89) |
| β-blocker | −5.70 (−7.36 to –4.04) | −7.07 (−9.11 to –5.08) | −4.93 (−7.83 to –2.01) | −4.09 (−6.28 to –1.88) | −3.24 (−5.27 to –1.24) | −2.43 (−4.50 to –0.36) | – | −1.88 (−5.84 to 2.06) | 2.48 (0.54 to 4.45) |
| CCB | −7.46 (−11.36 to –3.57) | −8.85 (−12.90 to –4.80) | −6.70 (−11.26 to –2.10) | −5.85 (−10.05 to –1.73) | −5.01 (−9.09 to –0.97) | −4.20 (−8.30 to –0.10) | −1.75 (−5.79 to 2.31) | – | 4.36 (0.44 to 8.29) |
| Diuretic | −3.17 (−4.81 to –1.53) | −4.55 (−6.56 to –2.57) | −2.40 (−5.31 to 0.49) | −1.56 (−3.78 to 0.64) | −0.72 (−2.60 to 1.16) | 0.09 (−1.77 to 1.92) | 2.52 (0.50 to 4.54) | 4.29 (0.27 to 8.32) | – |
Lower diagonal shows results of the analysis that pools trials across all populations. Upper diagonal (in grey) shows the results of the analysis focusing on hypertensive populations (≥140 mmHg).
Lower diagonal: mean difference in change from baseline and 95% CrI from base-case analysis. Negative values favour the row defining treatment, positive values favour the column defining treatment.
Upper diagonal: mean difference in change from baseline and 95% CrI from sensitivity analysis. Negative values favour the column defining treatment, positive values favour the row defining treatment.
*Combination of endurance and dynamic resistance exercise.
ACE-I, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; ARB, angiotensin-2 receptor blocker; CCB, calcium channel blocker.