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Yoga Poses and Breath Control Cardiovascular Changes in Hypertensive Post-Menopause Women

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Hypertension
Postmenopausal Symptoms
Interventions
Other: Yoga Poses
Other: Breath Control
Other: Stretching exercises
Registration Number
NCT03137849
Lead Sponsor
Instituto de Cardiologia do Rio Grande do Sul
Brief Summary

Autonomic and endothelial imbalance in post menopause women raise the need to manage cardiovascular risk. Yoga poses and breathing control present controversial results on prevention and treatment of hypertension.. The aim of this study is to compare the effect of 12 week intervention based on yoga poses and their muscle contractions known as bandhas (pelvic floor, core and throat/neck) and ujjayi pranayama (victorious breath) on autonomic modulation, endothelial function, arterial stiffness, aerobic capacity and cognitive function of hypertensive post-menopausal women.

Detailed Description

Abstract: Increased hypertension prevalence in post-menopausal women, along with cardiovascular damages such as autonomic and endothelial imbalance raise the need to include non-pharmacological interventions, such as yoga in the management of cardiovascular risk. Yoga practices are composed by several variations of techniques including physical postures (yoga poses and specific muscles contractions), breathing control (pranayamas), relaxation and meditation, beside others.The effects of each of these compounds has not been elucidated up to date and can be considered confounding effects for commonly named "yoga programs". Existing yoga based data are controversial about its effect on prevention and treatment of hypertension and point to poor methodological standards of most studies. Considering the effects of comparable interventions such as slow breathing on improving autonomic modulation, resistive and isometric exercise on endothelial function, and associations of flexibility with arterial stiffness, it´s licit to search for specific effects of yoga compounds. Thus, the aim of this study is to compare the effect of 12 week intervention based on yoga poses including their muscle contractions known as bandhas (pelvic floor, core and throat/neck), ujjayi pranayama (victorious breath) and stretching/ flexibility on autonomic modulation, endothelial function, arterial stiffness, aerobic capacity and cognitive function of hypertensive post-menopausal women.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
50
Inclusion Criteria
  • FSH>35mui/ml
  • minimum 12 months amenorrhea
  • sedentary life style (less than 150 minutes per week of exercise)
  • never been in yoga -practicing (self declaration)
  • Blood pressure > 140/90 or in continuous use of medication (diuretics,Ca+ channel inhibitors, ACE inhibitors)
Exclusion Criteria
  • Use of Betablockers
  • recent cardiovascular events or surgery
  • renal alterations
  • respiratory and/or motor pathologies
  • smoking
  • BMI>34,9

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
FACTORIAL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Yoga PosesYoga PosesTwice a week 75 minutes video class of yoga poses routine ( including yoga bandhas/ specific muscles contractions)
Stretching Exercises + Breath controlStretching exercisesTwice a week 75 minutes video class of stretching exercises routine combined with ujjayi pranayama technique as breath control
Stretching Exercises + Breath controlBreath ControlTwice a week 75 minutes video class of stretching exercises routine combined with ujjayi pranayama technique as breath control
Yoga Poses + Breath controlYoga PosesTwice a week 75 minutes video class of yoga poses routine ( including yoga bandhas with specific muscles contractions) combined with ujjayi pranayama technique as breath control
Yoga Poses + Breath controlBreath ControlTwice a week 75 minutes video class of yoga poses routine ( including yoga bandhas with specific muscles contractions) combined with ujjayi pranayama technique as breath control
Stretching ExercisesStretching exercisesTwice a week 75 minutes video class of stretching exercises routine
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Cardiovascular autonomic control by heart rate variability(HRV) and blood pressure variability (BPV) in frequency domain acquired by Finometer30 minutes

Sympathovagal balance HRV (ratio of low frequency (LF in ms2) and high frequency (HF in ms2) components of HRV = LF/HF)

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Carotid -femoral pulse wave velocity (Complior)10 minutes

Reduction of carotid -femoral pulse wave velocity (m/s)

Diaphragm Thickness by ultrasound5 minutes

Increase diaphragm thickness (mm)

Flow mediated dilation (FMD) of brachial artery by ultrasound20 minutes

Increase Flow Mediated Dilation (FMD) (%)

Assessment of center of pressure (COP) and balance by baropodometry platform5 minutes

Decreased area of COP (cm2)

Sit and reach flexibility test5 minutes

Increase flexibility levels (cm)

Maximal Oxygen Uptake by Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test45 minutes

Increase Maximal Oxygen Uptake (VO2max ml/kg/min)

Ambulatory Arterial Pressure Monitoring24 hours

Decrease Ambulatory Arterial Pressure Monitoring (mmHg)

Respiratory rate and movements of rib cage and abdomen by Pneumotrace respiratory belt30 minutes along with Finometer

Reduction of respiratory rate (cycles per minute/ cpm)

Blood samples laboratorial analysis5 minutes

Improved blood sample analysis HDL cholesterol, glucose, creatinine, c-reactive protein (mg/dL)

Fat percentage by Bioimpedance5 minutes

Reduction of fat percentage and increase of lean mass (% )

Cognitive function40 minutes

Changes in scores of Mini Mental State Examination (0 to 30)

Intima Media Thickness of carotid artery by ultrasound5 minutes

Decrease of intima media thickness (IMT) (mm)

Blood sample analysis of oxidative stress markers (Spectrophotometry)5 minutes along for all blood samples

Levels of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) (un/SOD/mg protein)

Blood levels of sample analysis of Inflammatory markers (ELISA)5 minutes along for all blood samples

Levels of Interleukin(IL) IL 1, IL 6, IL 10 (pg/ml)Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) alpha (pg/ml)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Cardiology Institute of Rio Grande do Sul

🇧🇷

Pôrto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil

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