Pranayama Breathing and Uncontrolled Hypertension



Status:Completed
Conditions:High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
Therapuetic Areas:Cardiology / Vascular Diseases
Healthy:No
Age Range:22 - Any
Updated:10/27/2017
Start Date:August 1, 2016
End Date:June 8, 2017

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Take a Deep Breath: Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Breathing Exercises on Blood Pressure

This study will compare participants who have uncontrolled hypertension and perform a set of
five breathing exercises (Pranayama breathing) to a control group. The purpose of the study
is to determine the effect of the breathing exercises on reduction of blood pressure.

Untreated or uncontrolled hypertension is a leading cause of heart disease, stroke, and
kidney failure. Hypertension, is a modifiable risk factor that may be successfully treated
using one or a combination of treatment options, including medication, diet, exercise,
tobacco cessation, or complementary and alternative medicine such as breathing exercises. A
well-established cascade of adverse health outcomes are associated with hypertension as well
as increased mortality rates. For patient-centered care, providing patients with additional
strategies for their health care also has the potential to empower the patient, augment
patient-physician team approach to the patient's health care, and support the standards of
care for treating hypertension. As explained by McCaffrey et al from their focus group work
with patients, "Participants do not want prescription medications except as a last resort and
feel that conventional medicine overemphasizes prescription medicines. This may be because of
a combination of factors including distrust in conventional medicine, fear of side effects
from medicines, and an underlying belief that the body can heal itself given the right
nutrition, rest, and time"

Using a randomized controlled trial study design with a 1-month and 3-month follow-up, the
investigators hypothesize that practicing breathing at least 5 times per week will show a
mean reduction in systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures in uncontrolled
hypertensive patients compared to control patients. Participants will be randomized into one
of three arms of the study. For the intervention arm, participants will be either assigned to
a weekly class for the pranayama breathing instruction and practice or given a DVD that
contains instructions on the breathing exercises and the 15-minute practice session.

Inclusion Criteria

- English-speaking adults

- less than 60 years of age with BP measurements of ≥140/ ≥90 mm Hg

- 60 years of age or older with BP measurements of ≥150/ ≥90 mm Hg

- diagnosed with diabetes with BP measurements of ≥140/ ≥90 mm Hg

- Patients with BP measurements of <180/ <110 mm Hg without hypertensive urgency
symptoms

Exclusion Criteria:

comorbidities of COPD, renal disease or chronic alcoholism
We found this trial at
1
site
104 Jesse Hall
Columbia, Missouri 65211
(573) 882-2121
University Of Missouri-Columbia The University of Missouri was founded in 1839 in Columbia, Mo., as...
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mi
from
Columbia, MO
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