Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2013
Abstract
Objectives. To systematically review and meta-analyze the effectiveness of yoga for reducing blood pressure in adults with hypertension and to assess the modifying influences of type and length of yoga intervention and type of comparison group. Methods. Academic Search Premier, AltHealthWatch, BIOSIS/Biological Abstracts, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Natural Standard, and Web of Science databases were screened for controlled studies from 1966 to March 2013. Two authors independently assessed risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Results. All 17 studies included in the review had unclear or high risk of bias. Yoga had a modest but significant effect on systolic blood pressure (SBP) (4.17 [6.35, 1.99], ) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (3.62 [4.92, 1.60], ). Subgroup analyses demonstrated significant reductions in blood pressure for (1) interventions incorporating 3 basic elements of yoga practice (postures, meditation, and breathing) (SBP: 8.17 mmHg [12.45, 3.89]; DBP: 6.14 mmHg [9.39, 2.89]) but not for more limited yoga interventions; (2) yoga compared to no treatment (SBP: 7.96 mmHg [10.65, 5.27]) but not for exercise. Conclusion. Yoga can be preliminarily recommended as an effective intervention for reducing blood pressure. Additional rigorous controlled trials are warranted to further investigate the potential benefits of yoga.
Digital Commons Citation
Hagins, Marshall; States, Rebecca; Selfe, Terry; and Innes, Kim, "Effectiveness of Yoga for Hypertension: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis" (2013). Faculty & Staff Scholarship. 141.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/faculty_publications/141
Source Citation
Hagins, Marshall., States, Rebecca., Selfe, Terry., & Innes, Kim. (2013). Effectiveness Of Yoga For Hypertension: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine eCAM, 2013. http://doi.org/10.1155/2013/649836