The Impact of Yoga on Blood Pressure and Quality of Life in Patients With Hypertension

Hypertension is one of the most common diseases in the industrialized world. In Sweden alone approximately 1.8 million persons, 25% of the adult population, have hypertension. Hypertension is a common diagnosis in primary health care and the costs of investigating and treating hypertension and its consequences are considerable. We know that stress can affect blood pressure, but it is hard to measure and control.

Previous studies have separately shown that yoga can reduce levels of cortisol in saliva and lower blood pressure. However, few studies have investigated the effects of yoga on hypertension and we lack information about the possibility of using yoga in primary health care to reduce hypertension.

If yoga can be used to complement antihypertensive medicines, it could reduce medicine intake and thereby possibly reduce side effects and lower medicine costs. It is to be hoped that patients will also experience a higher quality of life if they perform yoga on a regular basis.

Inclusion criteria

• Diagnosed with hypertension since at least one year.
• Blood pressure 120/80-160/100 mmHg at the last blood pressure control by doctor or nurse.

Exclusion criteria

• Blood pressure >180 systolic and/or >110 diastolic by the initial control in the study.
• Blood pressure <120 systolic by the initial control in the study.
• Medical adjustments regarding hypertension within 4 weeks prior to begin of study.
• Expected inability to understand instructions about yoga exercises (e.g dementia and mental retardation) or physical or psychical inability to carry out yoga exercises (e.g severe physical or psychical handicap).
• Need for interpreter. Linguistic/language difficulties
• Older than 80 years