THE EFFECTS OF SLOW WITH LOW LOADED BREATHING TRAINING ON BLOOD PRESSURE IN PATIENTS WITH ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION

Background: Essential hypertension is a characterized by elevated blood pressure. Non-pharmacologic strategies management for hypertension include slow loaded breathing training has been shown to reduce resting blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and improve chest wall expansions in essential hypertension. and the question is whether slow loaded breathing can also improve BP and HR          

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to determine a slow breathing training programme which was primarily designed to reduce blood pressure using a low load has the advantage of improving BP and HR in essential hypertension for 8 weeks

Methods: 30 participants had been diagnosed with essential hypertension stage I-II and aged between 30 to 59 years. All participants were randomized into 2 groups, 15 participants in slow loaded breathing training at 5 cmH2O and 15 participants in slow loaded breathing training at 7 cmH2O. Both groups received slow breathing training with BreatheMAX® at 6 breaths per minute for 60 times per day for 8 weeks. The evaluation was evaluated by measuring the blood pressure and heart rate at laboratory measurement.

Results: Laboratory based measurement after training of resting systolic BP decreased significantly by 9.55 ± 11.16 mmHg for 5 cmH2O group. Diastolic BP and mean arterial pressure has no significantly decrease in both groups. Pulse pressure decrease significantly in 5 cmH2O group by 6.48 ± 9.39 mmHg. Heart rate decrease significantly in 7 cmH2O group by 4.81 ± 5.43 beat per minute, Chest wall expansion significant increase in both groups by 1.01 ± 1.05 cm and 1.01 ± 1.05 cm in 5 cmH2O group and 7 cmH2O group. which all variables were not significantly different between groups.

Conclusion(s): Slow with low loaded breathing with low load is not only effective in reducing resting BP and HR but also increases chest wall expansion in people with essential hypertension

Implications: The slow with low loaded training was found to be sufficient to improve
systolic BP and chest wall expansion. The results may be applicable to a wider adult population without overt problems of hypertension or in older people with isolated systolic hypertension

Funding, acknowledgements: We are grateful to financial support was provided by the faculty of  medicine, Prince of Songkla University        

Keywords: Essential hypertension, Slow loaded breathing, Blood pressure

Topic: Cardiorespiratory

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Prince of Songkla University

Committee: Faculty of medicine, Prince of Songkla University

Ethics number: REC-61-371-30-2