HypertensionWALLPRESSNCT07730879
How Wall Squat Exercise Affects Blood Pressure in People With High Blood Pressure and Treated Sleep Apnea (WALLPRESS)
A study testing Isometric Wall Squat in people with Hypertension and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), run by Aveiro University at 1 site in Portugal.
Trial summary
This study will look at whether a simple exercise called the isometric wall squat can help lower blood pressure in adults who have both hypertension and obstructive sleep apnoea treated with CPAP. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 80 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Hypertension, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
- What is being tested?
- Isometric Wall Squat
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 20 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePortugal
- Study dates
- 30 Jul 2026to 30 Nov 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 80 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 18-80 years old.
- Diagnosis of hypertension and OSA confirmed by polysomnography or respiratory sleep study.
- Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) of at least 15 events per hour.
- Treatment with CPAP for at least 3 months.
Who cannot join
- Mean CPAP adherence <4 hours/night over the last month, documented by device download.
- Heart failure.
- Peripheral artery disease.
- Atrial fibrillation.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- Chronic kidney disease.
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- History of acute coronary syndrome, stroke, or transient ischemic attack in the previous 12 months.
- Relevant changes in antihypertensive or other cardiovascular pharmacotherapy in the previous 3 months.
- Relevant changes in CPAP prescription in the previous 3 months.
- Any contraindication to exercise according to contemporary ESC/ACSM recommendations (e.g. unstable angina).
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- Neurological and/or orthopaedic conditions that could interfere with exercise (e.g. severe knee osteoarthritis, recent lower-limb surgery).
- Inability to read, understand, or provide informed consent.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Rafael Mariz, Bachelor in Physiotherapy contact
Portugal1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Nippon Sanso Homecare
Braga
Rafael Mariz, Bachelor, +351 963299791, rafaelmariz@ua.pt
Rafael Mariz, Bachelor
About this study
Official title: Acute Blood Pressure Responses to Isometric Wall Squat Exercise in Adults With Hypertension and CPAP-Treated Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Randomized Crossover Trial
This study will look at whether a simple exercise called the isometric wall squat can help lower blood pressure in adults who have both hypertension and obstructive sleep apnoea treated with CPAP. Obstructive sleep apnoea is a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops or becomes shallow during sleep, and it is closely linked to high blood pressure. Although CPAP helps treat sleep apnoea, it usually lowers blood pressure only a little, so additional non-drug strategies may be useful.
The study will compare two situations in the same participants: one session of wall squat exercise and one non-exercise control session. Each participant will take part in both sessions, but the order will be random. This design helps the researchers compare blood pressure changes more fairly within the same person.
Read more
Participants will first attend a familiarization session, where the study procedures will be explained and the exercise intensity will be checked. After that, they will complete the two study sessions at home, during their usual CPAP treatment visits. The sessions will be separated by at least 48 hours and completed within one week. Both sessions will be scheduled at the same time of day to reduce the effect of normal daily changes in blood pressure.
The main result the researchers will measure is the average systolic blood pressure during the 12 hours after each session, using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. This means blood pressure will be measured over time while the participant goes about normal daily activities. The researchers want to find out whether a single session of wall squat exercise produces a greater blood pressure reduction than simply resting without exercise.
This study may help improve understanding of whether isometric exercise can be a practical, low-cost, home-based option to support blood pressure control in people with hypertension and CPAP-treated obstructive sleep apnoea.
- Conditions
- Hypertension, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
- Being tested
- Isometric Wall Squat
- Keywords
- isometric exercise, wall squat, blood pressure
- Medical subject headings
- Hypertension, Sleep Apnea, Obstructive
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Isometric Wall SquatOther
Also called wall squat
4x2-min isometric wall squat contractions separated by 2-min rest periods plus standard drug therapy
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Isometric Wall Squat | Experimental | Isometric Wall Squat exercise session plus standard drug therapy Receives: Other: Isometric Wall Squat |
| Control | No intervention | non-exercise control session plus standard drug therapy |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
12-hour systolic blood pressure
Systolic blood pressure measured by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring every 30 minutes for 12 hours after the exercise or control session
Measured: During the 12 hours following the exercise or control session
Secondary outcomes (3)
12-hour diastolic blood pressure
Diastolic blood pressure measured by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring every 30 minutes for 12 hours after the exercise or control session
Measured: During the 12 hours following the exercise or control session
Short-term blood pressure variability
Standard deviation of ambulatory readings over 12 hours post-session
Measured: During the 12 hours following the exercise or control session
Pulse pressure
Mean difference between systolic and diastolic ambulatory blood pressure during the 12 hours after the exercise or control session
Measured: During the 12 hours following the exercise or control session
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted28 Jul 2026
- Study start30 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion30 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Nov 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for HypertensionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Aveiro University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Fernando Ribeiro, Aveiro University
- Investigators
- Fernando Ribeiro, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, PortugualEduardo C Costa, PhD, Principal investigator, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07730879
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 153-CEIC-UA/2026-M
- Acronym
- WALLPRESS
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 23 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 29 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: De-identified individual participant data that underlie the results reported in the publication will be shared upon reasonable request after study completion.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 29 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Acute Blood Pressure Responses to Isometric Wall Squat Exercise in Adults With Hypertension and CPAP-Treated Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Randomized Crossover Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07730879
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- WALLPRESS / 153-CEIC-UA/2026-M
- Conditions
- Hypertension, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
- Keywords
- isometric exercise, wall squat, blood pressure
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Aveiro UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 30 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 30 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 28 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study will look at whether a simple exercise called the isometric wall squat can help lower blood pressure in adults who have both hypertension and obstructive sleep apnoea treated with CPAP. Obstructive sleep apnoea is a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops or becomes shallow during sleep, and it is closely linked to high blood pressure. Although CPAP helps treat sleep apnoea, it usually lowers blood pressure only a little, so additional non-drug strategies may be useful.
The study will compare two situations in the same participants: one session of wall squat exercise and one non-exercise control session. Each participant will take part in both sessions, but the order will be random. This design helps the researchers compare blood pressure changes more fairly within the same person.
Participants will first attend a familiarization session, where the study procedures will be explained and the exercise intensity will be checked. After that, they will complete the two study sessions at home, during their usual CPAP treatment visits. The sessions will be separated by at least 48 hours and completed within one week. Both sessions will be scheduled at the same time of day to reduce the effect of normal daily changes in blood pressure.
The main result the researchers will measure is the average systolic blood pressure during the 12 hours after each session, using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. This means blood pressure will be measured over time while the participant goes about normal daily activities. The researchers want to find out whether a single session of wall squat exercise produces a greater blood pressure reduction than simply resting without exercise.
This study may help improve understanding of whether isometric exercise can be a practical, low-cost, home-based option to support blood pressure control in people with hypertension and CPAP-treated obstructive sleep apnoea.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Isometric Wall Squat | Experimental | Other: Isometric Wall SquatIsometric Wall Squat exercise session plus standard drug therapy |
| Control | No intervention | –non-exercise control session plus standard drug therapy |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- 18-80 years old.
- Diagnosis of hypertension and OSA confirmed by polysomnography or respiratory sleep study.
- Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) of at least 15 events per hour.
- Treatment with CPAP for at least 3 months.
Key exclusion criteria (13 listed)
- Mean CPAP adherence <4 hours/night over the last month, documented by device download.
- Heart failure.
- Peripheral artery disease.
- Atrial fibrillation.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Isometric Wall SquatAlso: wall squat4x2-min isometric wall squat contractions separated by 2-min rest periods plus standard drug therapy | Other | Isometric Wall Squat |
Primary outcome
12-hour systolic blood pressure
Time frame: During the 12 hours following the exercise or control session
Systolic blood pressure measured by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring every 30 minutes for 12 hours after the exercise or control session
3 secondary outcomes
12-hour diastolic blood pressure
Time frame: During the 12 hours following the exercise or control session
Short-term blood pressure variability
Time frame: During the 12 hours following the exercise or control session
Pulse pressure
Time frame: During the 12 hours following the exercise or control session
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 29 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. De-identified individual participant data that underlie the results reported in the publication will be shared upon reasonable request after study completion.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Rafael Mariz, Bachelor in Physiotherapy contact
Fernando Ribeiro, PhD principal investigator
University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugual
Eduardo C Costa, PhD principal investigator
Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Isometric Wall Squat in people with Hypertension and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), run by Aveiro University at 1 site in Portugal.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 13 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Portugal. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Fernando Ribeiro, PhD (+351234372455, fernando.ribeiro@ua.pt), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
12-hour systolic blood pressure (time frame: During the 12 hours following the exercise or control session). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 29 Jul 2026.