title: Effects of dance movement therapy on selected cardiovascular parameters and estimated maximum oxygen consumption in hypertensive patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Objective:Arterial hypertension is a medical condition associated with increased risks of of death, cardiovascular mortality and cardiovascular morbidity including stroke, coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation and renal insufficiency. Regular physical exercise is considered to be an important part of the non-pharmacologictreatment of hypertension.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dance movement therapy (DMT) on selected cardiovascular parameters and estimated maximum oxygen consumption in hypertensive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty (50) subjects with hypertension participated in the study. They were randomly assigned to 2 equal groups; A (DMT group) and B (Control group). Group A carried out dance movement therapy 2 times a week for 4 weeks while group B underwent some educational sessions 2 times a week for the same duration. All the subjects were on anti-hypertensive drugs. 38 subjects completed the study with the DMTgroup having a total of 23 subjects (10 males and 13 females) and the control group 15 subjects (6 males and 9 females). Descriptive statistics of mean, standard deviation and inferential statistics of paired and independentt-testwere used for data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following four weeks of dance movement therapy, paired t-test analysis showed that there was a statistically significant difference in the Resting systolic blood pressure (RSBP) (p < 0.001*), Resting diastolic blood pressure (RDBP) (p < 0.001*), Resting heart rate (RHR) (p = 0.024*), Maximum heart rate (MHR) (p=0.002*) and Estimated oxygen consumption (VO2max) (p = 0.023*) in subjects in group A (p < 0.05) while there was no significant difference observed in outcome variables of subjects in group B (p > 0.05). Independent t-test analysis between the differences in the pre and post intervention scores of groups A and B also showed statistically significant differences in all the outcome variables (p <0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DMT was effective in improving cardiovascular parameters and estimated maximum oxygen consumption in hypertensive patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos. awetohappiness@gmail.com
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Aweto
authors.forename: O B A
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Owoeye
authors.forename: S R A
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Akinbo
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Onabajo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003614:Dance Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents