Yoga therapy may complement standard treatment for heart issues according to Study
The addition of yoga therapy is
shown to improve systolic blood pressure and heart rate of heart failure
patients as said by Ajit Singh a study lead author of the subject matter.
Yoga therapy can be used as a complemen tary
treatment in the man agement of heart failure, new research shows.
Heart failure is a form of cardiovascular
disease where the heart muscle is either too weak or too stiff to pump
properly, often leading to fluid build-up, shortness of breath and other
complications.
According to the study carried out
by researchers from the Indian Council for Medical Research at Kastur ba
Medical College & Hospital, Manipal Academy of Heart Education in Manipal,
75 heart failure patients at a tertiary care centre, who underwent coronary
interven tion, revascularisation or device therapy within the previous six
months to one year were included.
They were divided into two groups, the
intervention al group with 35 participants (31 men and 4 women) and the
non-interventional with 40 participants (30 men and 10 women). The interven
tional group received yoga therapy and guideline-direct ed medical therapy, while
the non-interventional group only continued with standard guideline-directed
medical therapy.
Echocardiographic parameters were compared at various follow-ups
to see the impact of yoga therapy on heart failure patients. The results of the
study were presented at the American College of Cardiology Conference in
Manila.
Ajit Singh, the study's lead author, said
patients in the intervention group observed improvement in systolic blood
pressure and heart rate. "Yoga is a combination of mind-body techniques
that can be effectively used to stim- ulate physical and mental
well-being." Singh said. "This group study
proves that the addition of yoga therapy to standard medical management of
heart failure leads to an improvement in left ventricular systolic function and
quality of life in heart patients."
