A pilot study in patients with high blood pressure concludes that adding yoga to regular exercise is better than stretching exercises alone, researchers report in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
A three-month study A pilot study of patients with hypertension appearing in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology shows that adding yoga to a regular training regimen supports cardiovascular health and well-being and is more effective than stretching exercises. The addition of yoga reduced systolic blood pressure and resting heart rate and improved 10-year cardiovascular risk.
Yoga is part of the spiritual and exercise practices of millions of people around the world. As the practice of yoga becomes a widely accepted form of exercise, the body of research on yoga is growing. It is a multifaceted lifestyle activity that can positively improve cardiovascular health and well-being. Physical exercises such as stretching exercises and the physical components of yoga practices have several similarities, but also important differences.
"The goal of this pilot study was to determine whether adding yoga to a regular training regimen reduces cardiovascular risk," explained lead investigator Paul Poirier, MD, PhD, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, Universite Laval and Faculty of Pharmacy. Laval University, Quebec, Canada.
“While there is some evidence that yoga interventions and exercise have equal or superior cardiovascular outcomes, there is considerable variability in the types, components, frequency, session length, duration, and intensity of yoga. “We sought to apply a rigorous scientific approach to identify cardiovascular risk factors for which yoga is beneficial for at-risk patients and ways it could be applied in a healthcare setting, as a primary prevention program.”
The researchers recruited 60 people with previously diagnosed high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome for a physical training program. During the 3-month intervention regimen, participants were divided into 2 groups, which performed 15 minutes of structured yoga or stretching in addition to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 5 times per week.
Blood pressure, anthropometry, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), glucose and lipid levels, as well as Framingham and Reynolds risk scores were measured.
At baseline, there were no differences between groups in age, sex, smoking rates, body mass index (BMI), resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure, resting heart rate, and pulse pressure.
Figure : A pilot study in patients with hypertension concludes that adding yoga to regular exercise is better than stretching exercises alone, researchers report in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology (iStock.com/Bluberries).
After 3 months , there was a decrease in resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate in both groups. However, systolic blood pressure was reduced by 10 mmHg with yoga versus 4 mmHg with stretching. The yoga approach also reduced resting heart rate and 10-year cardiovascular risk assessed by the Reynold risk score.
While yoga has been shown to benefit hypertensive patients, the exact mechanism underlying this positive effect is not fully understood. This randomized pilot study shows that its benefits cannot be attributed simply to stretching.
"This study provides evidence for an additional non-pharmacological therapy option for cardiovascular risk reduction and blood pressure control in patients with high blood pressure, within the framework of a primary prevention exercise program," said Dr. Poirier. “As noted in several studies, we recommend that patients try to find exercise and stress relief for the management of hypertension and cardiovascular disease in whatever form is most appealing to them. “Our study shows that structured yoga practices may be a healthier addition to aerobic exercise than simply muscle stretching.”
Conclusion In patients with high blood pressure, yoga practice incorporated into a 3-month exercise training program was associated with greater improvement in resting blood pressure and heart rate and Reynolds risk score compared to stretching. |
