Abstract:
Arterial aging along with increased blood pressure(BP) has become the major cardiovascular
(CV) risk in elderly. The aim of the study was to compare the effects of yoga program and walking-
exercise on cardiac function in elderly with increased pulse pressure (PP).
Methods: An open label, parallel-group randomized controlled study design was adopted. Elderly
individuals aged
60 years with PP
60 mmHg were recruited for the study. Yoga (study) group (n = 30)
was assigned for yoga training and walking (exercise) group (n = 30) for walking with loosening practices
for one hour in the morning for 6 days in a week for 3 months. The outcome measures were cardiac time
intervals derived from pulse wave analysis and ECG: resting heart rate (RHR), diastolic time(DT),
ventricular ejection time(LVET), upstroke time(UT), ejection duration index (ED%), pre-ejection period
(PEP), rate pressure product (RPP) and percentage of mean arterial pressure (%MAP).
Results: The mean within-yoga group change in RHR(bpm) was 4.41 (p = 0.031), PD(ms):
50.29
(p = 0.042), DT(ms):
49.04 (p = 0.017), ED%: 2.107 (p = 0.001), ES(mmHg/ms): 14.62 (p = 0.118), ET(ms):
0.66 (p = 0.903), UT(ms):
2.54 (p = 0.676), PEP(ms):
1.25 (p = 0.11) and %MAP: 2.08 (p = 0.04). The
mean within-control group change in HR (bpm) was 0.35 (p = 0.887), PD (ms): 11.15(p = 0.717), DT (ms):
11.3 (p = 0.706), ED%:
0.101 (p = 0.936), ES (mmHg/ms): 0.75 (p = 0.926), ET(ms): 2.2 (p = 0.721), UT
(ms):4.7(p = 455), PEP (ms): 2.1(p = 0.11), %MAP: 0.65 (p = 0.451). A significant difference between-group
was found in RHR (p = 0.036), PD (p = 0.02), ED% (p = 0.049), LVET (p = 0.048), DT (p = 0.02) and RPP
(p = 0.001).
Conclusions: Yoga practice for 3 months showed a significant improvement in diastolic function with a
minimal change in systolic function. Yoga is more effective than walking in improving cardiac function in
elderly with high PP.
