Regular slow-breathing exercise effects on blood pressure and breathing patterns at rest.
Previous studies reported that a device-guided slow-breathing (DGB) exercise decreases resting blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients. This study investigated the effects of daily practice of DGB on (a) 24-h BP and breathing patterns in the natural environment, as well as (b) BP and breathing pattern during clinic rest. Altogether, 40 participants with pre-hypertension or stage 1 hypertension were trained to decrease breathing rate through DGB or to passively attend to breathing (control, CTL) during daily 15-min sessions. The participants practiced their breathing exercise at home for 4 weeks. The DGB (but not the CTL) intervention decreased clinic resting BP, mid-day ambulatory systolic BP (in women only) and resting breathing rate, and increased resting tidal volume. However, 24-h BP level was not changed by DGB or CTL interventions, nor was overnight breathing pattern. These findings are consistent with the conclusion that a short-term, autonomic mechanism mediated the observed changes in resting BP, but provided no evidence that regular DGB affected factors involved in long-term BP regulation. Additional research will be needed to determine whether 24-h BP can be lowered by a more prolonged intervention.
Anderson
D E
DE
Clinical Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA. Andersod@mail.nih.gov
McNeely
J D
JD
Windham
B G
BG
D001794:Blood Pressure; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D001945:Breathing Exercises; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058246:Prehypertension / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D056152:Respiratory Rate; D012146:Rest; D013990:Tidal Volume; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome