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Role of yoga in prehypertension and hypertension
Anil Kumar1, G Keshavamurthy2, Navreet Singh3, Balwinder Singh4, Rajesh Vaidya5, Tanmoy Roy6, SP Singh7, Ankush Gupta4, Nitin Bajaj8, Parag Barwad9, Ekambir Singh10
1 Consultant Medicine and Cardiologist, Deputy Principal Medical Officer, Western Air Command, New Delhi, India
2 Consultant Medicine and Cardiologist, Department of Cardiology, Army Hospital (Research & Referral), Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi, India, New Delhi
3 Consultant Medicine and Cardiologist, AICTS, Golibar Maidan, Pune, Maharashtra, India
4 Classified Specialist Medicine and Cardiologist, AICTS, Golibar Maidan, Pune, Maharashtra, India
5 Dean, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India
6 Principal Medical Officer, Western Air Command, New Delhi, India
7 Prof of Physiology, Department of Physiology, Army College of Medical Sciences, Brar Square, Near Base Hospital Delhi Cantt, New Delhi, India
8 Senior Adviser Medicine and Cardiologist, Department of Cardiology, AICTS, Golibar Maidan, Pune, Maharashtra, India
9 Department of Cardiology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
10 Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hosptial, Kalinganagar, Bhubneshwar, Odisha, India
Correspondence Address:
Navreet Singh
AICTS, Golibar Maidan, Pune - 411 040, Maharashtra
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/jpcs.jpcs_39_22
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Background: The high prevalence of hypertension in India necessitates both pharmacological and nonpharmacological measures to control it. Here, we report the findings of a study to investigate the effectiveness of yoga therapy in lowering blood pressure (BP) in prehypertensive and hypertensive individuals. Methods: This was a single center, nonrandomized controlled clinical trial, of 200 hypertensives and 100 prehypertensives patients. The control group received the prescribed antihypertensive and lifestyle modification while the yoga group was additionally taught simple yogic exercise by a trained yoga teacher. This training included intensive supervised phase 2-h training sessions in Ujjayi breathing, Bhastrika Pranayama and chanting of “Om” for 10 lessons, followed by self-performed yogic exercise at home for 1 h till the end of study at 1 year. Results: The systolic BP (SBP) in the hypertensive yoga group was significantly lower (t = 3.04, P < 0.01) than the control group at 6 months, but not so at 1 year (SBP t = 0.53, P > 0.05). In the prehypertensive participants, at 6 months (t = 5.85, P = 0.00), and 1 year (t = 6.385, P < 0.05) a significant difference was observed between SBP of the two groups However, no significant difference was observed between the diastolic BP among hypertensives or prehypertensives at 6 months and 1 year. Conclusion: Our present study indicates that yoga therapy is a viable adjunct to pharmacological intervention to reduce SBP in the management of hypertension and prehypertension and that yoga should be incorporated in the treatment regime of such patients, specifically for individuals who have prehypertension.
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