EFFECT OF YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON CARDIOVASCULAR VARIABLES PSYCHOPATHOLOGIES AND COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS IN HYPERTENSION PATIENTS

Abstract

Hypertension (HTN) is a major public health problem and a leading cause of newlinemorbidity and mortality worldwide. Autonomic dysfunction, poor mental health and cognitive newlinedecline are frequently observed in HTN. Integrated Approach of Yoga Therapy (IAYT) is a newlineresidential yoga based lifestyle intervention shown to be beneficial in several chronic health newlineproblems.This study was intended to assess the impact of IAYT on cardiovascular newlinevariables, mental health and cognitive function in hypertensive patients.Forty hypertensive subjects within age range 30-60 years (average age; 46.80±9.1 newlineyears) were considered for the study. Twenty subjects were included in IAYT group who newlinereceived one week residential IAYT intervention consisted of sessions of yogasana practices, newlinepranayama techniques, yoga based relaxation techniques, devotional sessions. Twenty newlinesubjects in non-IAYT group followed their daily routines. All the subjects of both groups newlinewere on regular anti-hypertensive medication. We excluded the subjects if they had; diabetes newlinemellitus, resistant hypertension, secondary hypertension, recent surgery, pregnancy, under newlineantipsychotic medication, severe cardiac disability. All the subjects were assessed for cardiac newlinevariables (blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, baroreflex sensitivity, cardiac output, stroke newlinevolume and total peripheral vascular resistance) mental health parameters (anxiety and newlinedepression) and cognitive function (attention, concentration, processing speed, short term and newlineworking memory) at the baseline and after one week, using standard assessment tools. Data newlinewas analyzed using SPSS version 16. Within group and between group differences was newlinecalculated by applying suitable statistical tests. newline