The Efficacy and Safety of Yoga in Managing Hypertension

Cramer, H

The Efficacy and Safety of Yoga in Managing Hypertension

Cramer, H

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology and Diabetes, 2015, 124 (2), pp. 65 - 70
Issue Date:: 2015-11-17

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Cramer, H https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3640-8046	en_US
dc.date.issued	2015-11-17	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology and Diabetes, 2015, 124 (2), pp. 65 - 70	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0947-7349	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/100419
dc.description.abstract	© 2016 J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York. Hypertension is a major public health problem and one of the most important causes of premature morbidity and mortality. Yoga is a traditional Indian practice that has been adapted for use in complementary and alternative medicine and mainly includes physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation. The impact of yoga as a complementary intervention for hypertension has been investigated in a number of randomized controlled trials; with an overall effect of about 10 mmHg reduction in systolic and about 8 mmHg reduction in diastolic blood pressure. Yoga seems to be effective only for hypertension but not for prehypertension; and only as an adjunct to antihypertensive pharmacological treatment but not as an alternative therapy. Breathing and meditation rather than physical activity seem to be the active part of yoga interventions for hypertensive patients. These practices can increase parasympathic activity and decrease sympathetic activity, arguably mainly by increasing GABA activity; thus counteracting excess activity of the sympathetic nervous system which has been associated with hypertension. Although yoga has been associated with serious adverse events in single case reports, population-based surveys as well as clinical trials indicate that yoga is a relatively safe intervention that is not associated with more adverse events than other forms of physical activity. Yoga can thus be considered a safe and effective intervention for managing hypertension. Given the possibly better risk/benefit ratio, it may be advisable to focus on yogic meditation and/or breathing techniques.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology and Diabetes	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1055/s-0035-1565062	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Endocrinology & Metabolism	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Hypertension	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Breathing Exercises	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Yoga	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Safety	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Blood Pressure	en_US
dc.title	The Efficacy and Safety of Yoga in Managing Hypertension	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	2	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	124	en_US
utslib.for	1104 Complementary and Alternative Medicine	en_US
utslib.for	1103 Clinical Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	2	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	124	en_US

Abstract:

© 2016 J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York. Hypertension is a major public health problem and one of the most important causes of premature morbidity and mortality. Yoga is a traditional Indian practice that has been adapted for use in complementary and alternative medicine and mainly includes physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation. The impact of yoga as a complementary intervention for hypertension has been investigated in a number of randomized controlled trials; with an overall effect of about 10 mmHg reduction in systolic and about 8 mmHg reduction in diastolic blood pressure. Yoga seems to be effective only for hypertension but not for prehypertension; and only as an adjunct to antihypertensive pharmacological treatment but not as an alternative therapy. Breathing and meditation rather than physical activity seem to be the active part of yoga interventions for hypertensive patients. These practices can increase parasympathic activity and decrease sympathetic activity, arguably mainly by increasing GABA activity; thus counteracting excess activity of the sympathetic nervous system which has been associated with hypertension. Although yoga has been associated with serious adverse events in single case reports, population-based surveys as well as clinical trials indicate that yoga is a relatively safe intervention that is not associated with more adverse events than other forms of physical activity. Yoga can thus be considered a safe and effective intervention for managing hypertension. Given the possibly better risk/benefit ratio, it may be advisable to focus on yogic meditation and/or breathing techniques.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/100419