INTRODUCTION: The practice of physical activities is one of the options used for cardiovascular risks prevention, such as systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) and diabetes mellitus (DM). One of the ways to make an evaluation of it is the 6-minute-walk test (6MWT), which is a submaximal test, simple to be done, of low cost and high productive. OBJECTIVES: To compare the functional acting of women's organism with cardiovascular risk, through the 6MWT. METHODS: 45 women were allocated in 3 groups: G1 (with SAH DM diagnostic), G2 (SAH diagnostic) and G3 (healthy volunteers). Initially the volunteers made the 6MWT for learning and one hour later for evaluation. Saturation of peripheral oxygen, cardiac frequency, arterial blood pressure, glucose and distance made were considered as pre- and post-tests. The statistic analysis was made with stipulated relevance of p < 0,05. RESULTS: All groups that increased the distance made during the evaluation test, had higher blood pressure and reduction of the glucose indication. CONCLUSIONS: 6MWT can be used for evaluation of the functional acting of women's organism with SAH and DM as cardiovascular risk factors, being safe and submaximal.
Six minute walking test; Exercise tolerance; Risk factors; Hypertension; Diabetes mellitus
