1 2213 91 THE HYPOTENSIVE EFFECT OF YOGA'S BREATHING EXERCISES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. THE AIM OF THIS REVIEW WAS TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF PRANAYAMA (YOGA'S BREATHING EXERCISES) ON BP AND ITS APPLICABILITY IN THE TREATMENT OF HYPERTENSION. THIRTEEN TRIALS, ASSESSING ACUTE (EIGHT STUDIES) AND CHRONIC (FIVE STUDIES) BP RESPONSE TO PRANAYAMA WERE INCLUDED. SIGNIFICANT BP REDUCTIONS AFTER PRANAYAMA WERE FOUND IN BOTH ACUTE (2-10 MMHG MEAN SBP REDUCTION, N = 5 STUDIES; 1 MMHG MEAN DBP REDUCTION, N = 1 STUDY) AND CHRONIC STUDIES (4-21 MMHG MEAN SBP REDUCTION, N = 3 STUDIES; 4-7 MMHG MEAN DBP REDUCTION, N = 2 STUDIES). THE PRANAYAMA'S EFFECT ON BP WERE NOT ROBUST AGAINST SELECTION BIAS DUE TO THE LOW QUALITY OF STUDIES. BUT, THE LOWERING BP EFFECT OF PRANAYAMA IS ENCOURAGING. THE PRANAYAMA WITH SLOWER RHYTHMS AND MANIPULATION OF THE NOSTRILS, MAINLY WITH BREATHS BY THE LEFT, PRESENT BETTER RESULTS WHEN COMPARED WITH THE OTHER TYPES AND SHOULD BE THE MAIN PRANAYAMA APPLIED WHEN THE GOAL IS TO REDUCE BLOOD PRESSURE ESPECIALLY IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS. 2017 2 274 24 ADDITIONAL BENEFIT OF YOGA TO STANDARD LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION ON BLOOD PRESSURE IN PREHYPERTENSIVE SUBJECTS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE (BP) IS A KNOWN RISK FACTOR FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE MORBIDITY. CONSIDERING THE GROWING EVIDENCE OF NONPHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HIGH BP, WE DESIGNED A RANDOMIZED, PARALLEL ACTIVE-CONTROLLED STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF YOGA AND STANDARD LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION (LSM) ON BP AND HEART RATE IN INDIVIDUALS WITH PREHYPERTENSION (SYSTOLIC BP 120-139 MM HG AND/OR DIASTOLIC BP 80-89 MM HG). VOLUNTEERS (20-60 YEARS) OF BOTH GENDERS WITHOUT ANY KNOWN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE WERE RANDOMIZED INTO EITHER LSM GROUP (N = 92) OR LSM+YOGA GROUP (N = 92). BEFORE THE INTERVENTION, AGE, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, BP AND FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE AND LIPIDS WERE COMPARABLE BETWEEN THE GROUPS. AFTER 12 WEEKS OF INTERVENTION, WE OBSERVED A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THE BP AND HEART RATE IN BOTH THE GROUPS. FURTHER, THE REDUCTION IN SYSTOLIC BP WAS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE IN LSM+YOGA GROUP (6 MM HG) AS COMPARED WITH LSM GROUP (4 MM HG). IN ADDITION, 13 PREHYPERTENSIVES BECAME NORMOTENSIVES IN LSM+YOGA GROUP AND FOUR IN LSM GROUP. THE RESULTS INDICATE EFFICACY OF NONPHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTION AND THE ADDITIONAL BENEFIT OF YOGA TO STANDARD LSM. FURTHER RESEARCH IN THIS FIELD MAY ADD TO THE LEVEL OF EVIDENCE ON THE BENEFIT OF YOGA, IN THE REDUCTION OF BP IN HIGH BP SUBJECTS, IN THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE. 2015 3 2153 20 THE EFFECTS OF SUDARSHAN KRIYA YOGA ON SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN MILD HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS. AN OPEN LABEL INTERVENTION STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN ON 26 MILD HYPERTENSIVES AND 26 APPARENTLY HEALTHY ADULTS (30-60 Y), FOR THE EFFECT OF SUDARSHAN KRIYA YOGA PRACTICE FOR TWO MONTHS AS COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY. IN THE HYPERTENSIVES, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (P < 0.01), SERUM UREA (P < 0.01) AND PLASMA MDA (MALONDIALDEHYDE ADDUCTS) AS OXIDATIVE STRESS MARKER (P < 0.05). OTHER PARAMETERS; VIZ.; PLASMA LEVELS OF CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDES, GLUCOSE, DID NOT CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY (P > 0.1). THE PATTERN OF CHANGE IN MOST OF THE STUDY PARAMETERS WAS SUCH THAT VALUES ABOVE NORMAL RANGE WERE LOWERED BUT VALUES WITHIN NORMAL RANGE WERE UNALTERED. THE ACTION OF YOGA ON DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, MALONDIALDEHYDE ADDUCTS AND KIDNEY FUNCTION IN HYPERTENSIVES WAS OF COUNTERACTIVE NATURE AND FELT TO BE DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE EFFECT OF DRUGS. 2011 4 2901 14 [ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION AND STRESS. WHEN DO YOGA, PSYCHOTHERAPY AND AUTOGENIC TRAINING HELP?]. PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND COURSE OF ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION, ALTHOUGH "STRESS" CAN ACCOUNT FOR ONLY 10% OF BLOOD PRESSURE VARIANCE. A VARIETY OF PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS, SUCH AS RELAXATION TECHNIQUES (AUTOGENIC TRAINING OR PROGRESSIVE MUSCULAR RELAXATION), BEHAVIORAL THERAPY OR BIOFEEDBACK TECHNIQUES, CAN LOWER ELEVATED BLOOD PRESSURE BY AN AVERAGE OF 10 MMHG (SYSTOLIC) AND 5 MMHG (DIASTOLIC). AS A "SECONDARY EFFECT", SUCH MEASURES MAY ALSO PROMPT THE HYPERTENSIVE TO ADOPT A MORE HEALTH-CONSCIOUS LIFESTYLE. 2002 5 811 31 EFFECT OF YOGA ON BLOOD PRESSURE IN PREHYPERTENSION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS. INTRODUCTION: PREHYPERTENSION IS A PRECURSOR FOR DEVELOPING HYPERTENSION AND IS A RISK FACTOR FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES. YOGA THERAPY MAY HAVE A ROLE IN LOWERING THE BLOOD PRESSURES IN PREHYPERTENSION AND HYPERTENSION. THIS SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AIMS TO SYNTHESIZE THE AVAILABLE LITERATURE FOR THE SAME. METHODOLOGY. DATABASES SUCH AS PUBMED, EMBASE, SCOPUS, AND WEB OF SCIENCE WERE SEARCHED FOR RANDOMISED CONTROL TRIALS ONLY IN THE TIME DURATION OF 2010-2021. THE MAIN OUTCOME OF INTEREST WAS SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURES. ARTICLES WERE SCREENED BASED ON THE INCLUSION CRITERIA, AND 8 ARTICLES WERE RECRUITED FOR THE REVIEW. META-ANALYSIS WAS DONE FOR SUITABLE ARTICLES. REVMAN 5.4 BY COCHRANE WAS USED FOR META-ANALYSIS AND FOREST PLOT CONSTRUCTION. RISK OF BIAS WAS DETERMINED USING THE DOWNS AND BLACK CHECKLIST BY THREE INDEPENDENT AUTHORS. RESULTS: THE META-ANALYSIS OF THE ARTICLES FAVOURED YOGA INTERVENTION OVER THE CONTROL INTERVENTION. YOGA THERAPY HAD SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE SYSTOLIC PRESSURE (-0.62 STANDARD MEAN DIFFERENCE, AT IV FIXED 95% CI: -0.83, -0.41) AND DIASTOLIC PRESSURE (-0.81 STANDARD MEAN DIFFERENCE, AT IV RANDOM 95% CI: -1.39, -0.22). SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES STUDIED WERE HEART RATE, WEIGHT, BMI, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, AND LIPID PROFILE. THE MAIN PROTOCOL OF YOGA THERAPY INCLUDED POSTURES, BREATHING EXERCISES, AND DIFFERENT MEDITATION TECHNIQUES. A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN SECONDARY OUTCOMES WAS OBSERVED, EXCEPT FOR HDL VALUES IN LIPID PROFILE WHICH SHOWED A GRADUAL INCREASE IN YOGA GROUP IN COMPARISON WITH ALTERNATIVE THERAPY. CONCLUSION: YOGA THERAPY HAS SHOWN TO BE SIGNIFICANT IN THE REDUCTION OF SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC PRESSURE IN PREHYPERTENSIVE POPULATION. SUPPORTING EVIDENCE LACKS IN PROVIDING A PROPER STRUCTURED DOSAGE OF YOGA ASANAS AND BREATHING TECHNIQUES. CONSIDERING THE EXISTING LITERATURE AND EVIDENCE, YOGA THERAPY CAN BE USED AND RECOMMENDED IN PREHYPERTENSIVE POPULATION AND CAN BE BENEFICIAL IN REDUCING THE CHANCES OF DEVELOPING HYPERTENSION OR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES. 2021 6 1929 26 ROLE OF YOGA IN MANAGEMENT OF ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION. TWENTY FIVE PATIENTS OF ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION WERE STUDIED. OF THESE, 20 PATIENTS WERE NOT GIVEN ANY ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUG TREATMENT (GROUP A); OTHER 5 HAD TO BE PUT ON ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS BEFORE INCLUDING THEM IN THE STUDY (GROUP B). THESE PATIENTS WERE DEMONSTRATED "SHAVASANA" AND TRAINED TO PERFORM IT CORRECTLY. SHAVASANA THERAPY WAS CONTINUED FOR SIX MONTHS. THERE WAS A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT FALL IN BOTH MEAN SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC PRESSURE OF BOTH GROUPS. FURTHER, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN DOSES OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS, BEING GIVEN TO PATIENTS OF GROUP B. IN 65% PATIENTS OF GROUP A, BLOOD PRESSURE COULD BE CONTROLLED WITH SHAVASANA ONLY AND NO DRUG WAS NEEDED IN THEM AT ALL. BLOOD PRESSURE ROSE SIGNIFICANTLY TO PRE-SHAVASANA LEVELS IN PATIENTS WHO LEFT PRACTISING YOGA. THUS, WITH USE OF YOGA (SHAVASANA) IN THERAPY OF HYPERTENSION, REQUIREMENT OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS MAY BE SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED AND IN SOME CASES MAY BE TOTALLY DISPENSED WITH AND IT MAY BE AN USEFUL ADJUNCT IN TREATMENT OF HYPERTENSION. 1984 7 39 25 A BRIEF BUT COMPREHENSIVE LIFESTYLE EDUCATION PROGRAM BASED ON YOGA REDUCES RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND DIABETES MELLITUS. OBJECTIVES: THE OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY WAS TO STUDY THE SHORT-TERM IMPACT OF A BRIEF LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION BASED ON YOGA ON SOME OF THE BIOCHEMICAL INDICATORS OF RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND DIABETES MELLITUS. DESIGN: THE VARIABLES OF INTEREST WERE MEASURED AT THE BEGINNING (DAY 1) AND END (DAY 10) OF THE INTERVENTION USING A PRE-POST DESIGN. SETTING: THE STUDY IS THE RESULT OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH CARRIED OUT IN OUR INTEGRAL HEALTH CLINIC (IHC). THE IHC IS AN OUTPATIENT FACILITY WHICH CONDUCTS 8-DAY LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION PROGRAMS BASED ON YOGA FOR PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASE. A NEW COURSE BEGINS EVERY ALTERNATE WEEK OF THE YEAR. SUBJECTS: THE STUDY IS BASED ON DATA COLLECTED ON 98 SUBJECTS (67 MALE, 31 FEMALE), AGES 20-74 YEARS, WHO ATTENDED ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS. THE SUBJECTS WERE A HETEROGENEOUS GROUP OF PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION, CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, DIABETES MELLITUS, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER ILLNESSES. INTERVENTION: THE INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF ASANAS (POSTURES), PRANAYAMA (BREATHING EXERCISES), RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, GROUP SUPPORT, INDIVIDUALIZED ADVICE, LECTURES AND FILMS ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF YOGA AND THE PLACE OF YOGA IN DAILY LIFE, MEDITATION, STRESS MANAGEMENT, NUTRITION, AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE ILLNESS. OUTCOME MEASURES: THE OUTCOME MEASURES WERE FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE AND SERUM LIPOPROTEIN PROFILE. THESE VARIABLES WERE DETERMINED IN FASTING BLOOD SAMPLES, TAKEN ON THE FIRST AND LAST DAY OF THE COURSE. RESULTS: FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE, SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (LDL) CHOLESTEROL, VERY- LDL CHOLESTEROL, THE RATIO OF TOTAL CHOLESTEROL TO HIGH DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (HDL) CHOLESTEROL, AND TOTAL TRIGLYCERIDES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER, AND HDL CHOLESTEROL SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER, ON THE LAST DAY OF THE COURSE COMPARED TO THE FIRST DAY OF THE COURSE. THE CHANGES WERE MORE MARKED IN SUBJECTS WITH HYPERGLYCEMIA OR HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA. CONCLUSIONS: THE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST THAT A SHORT LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT EDUCATION PROGRAM LEADS TO FAVORABLE METABOLIC EFFECTS WITHIN A PERIOD OF 9 DAYS. 2005 8 1675 19 OBESITY-RELATED INFLAMMATION & CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: EFFICACY OF A YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION. OBESITY IS A GLOBAL HEALTH BURDEN AND ITS PREVALENCE IS INCREASING SUBSTANTIALLY DUE TO CHANGING LIFESTYLE. CHRONIC ADIPOSITY IS ASSOCIATED WITH METABOLIC IMBALANCE LEADING TO DYSLIPIDAEMIA, DIABETES, HYPERTENSION AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES (CVD). ADIPOSE TISSUE ACTS AS AN ENDOCRINE ORGAN RELEASING SEVERAL ADIPOCYTOKINES, AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED LEVELS OF TISSUE AND CIRCULATING INFLAMMATORY BIOMOLECULES CAUSING VASCULAR INFLAMMATION AND ATHEROGENESIS. FURTHER, INFLAMMATION IS ALSO ASSOCIATED INDEPENDENTLY WITH OBESITY AS WELL AS CVD. KEEPING THIS IN VIEW, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A REDUCTION IN WEIGHT MAY LEAD TO A DECREASE IN INFLAMMATION, RESULTING IN CVD RISK REDUCTION, AND BETTER MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CVD. LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY SEVERAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES IN PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES. A YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION APPEARS TO BE A PROMISING OPTION IN REDUCING THE RISK FOR CVD AS WELL AS MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CVD AS IT IS SIMPLE TO FOLLOW AND COST-EFFECTIVE WITH HIGH COMPLIANCE. THE EFFICACY OF SUCH LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES IS MULTIFACETED, AND IS ACHIEVED VIA REDUCTION IN WEIGHT, OBESITY-RELATED INFLAMMATION AND STRESS, THEREBY CULMINATING INTO RISK REDUCTION TOWARDS SEVERAL CHRONIC DISEASES INCLUDING CVD. IN THIS REVIEW, THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN OBESITY-RELATED INFLAMMATION AND CVD, AND THE ROLE OF YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION IN PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CVD ARE DISCUSSED. 2014 9 2295 19 THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF YOGA PRACTICES IN MODIFYING CARDIOVASCULAR RISK PROFILE IN MIDDLE AGED MEN AND WOMEN. AIMS OF STUDY: TO STUDY EFFECT OF YOGA ON THE PHYSIOLOGICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL BEING, PSYCHOMOTOR PARAMETER AND MODIFYING CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS IN MILD TO MODERATE HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS. METHODS: TWENTY PATIENTS (16 MALES, 4 FEMALES) IN THE AGE GROUP OF 35 TO 55 YEARS WITH MILD TO MODERATE ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION UNDERWENT YOGIC PRACTICES DAILY FOR ONE HOUR FOR THREE MONTHS. BIOCHEMICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PARAMETERS WERE STUDIED PRIOR AND FOLLOWING PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS OF YOGA PRACTICES, BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS INCLUDED, BLOOD GLUCOSE, LIPID PROFILE, CATECHOLMINES, MDA, VIT. C CHOLINESTERASE AND URINARY VMA. PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION WAS DONE BY USING PERSONAL ORIENTATION INVENTORY AND SUBJECTIVE WELL BEING. RESULTS: RESULTS SHOWED DECREASE IN BLOOD PRESSURE AND DRUG SCORE MODIFYING RISK FACTORS, I.E. BLOOD GLUCOSE, CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDES DECREASED OVERALL IMPROVEMENT IN SUBJECTIVE WELL BEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE. THERE WAS DECREASE IN VMA CATECHOLAMINE, AND DECREASE MDA LEVEL SUGGESTIVE DECREASE SYMPATHETIC ACTIVITY AND OXIDANT STRESS. CONCLUSION: YOGA CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN RISK MODIFICATION FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES IN MILD TO MODERATE HYPERTENSION. 2002 10 1552 22 LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION IN BLOOD PRESSURE STUDY II (LIMBS): STUDY PROTOCOL OF A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL ASSESSING THE EFFICACY OF A 24 WEEK STRUCTURED YOGA PROGRAM VERSUS LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION ON BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION. HYPERTENSION IS A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE AFFECTING 68 MILLION ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES. LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS INCLUDING COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES SUCH AS THE MOVEMENT BASED MIND BODY PRACTICE OF YOGA HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR IN THE UNITED STATES AND HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED AS A POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE TO MEDICATION IN BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION. WE COMPLETED A PILOT STUDY IN 2009 WHICH SHOWED MEANINGFUL DECREASES IN 24-HOUR AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE READINGS AFTER A 12 WEEK PERIOD OF YOGA PARTICIPATION. BASED ON DATA FROM OUR PILOT STUDY WE ARE NOW COMPLETING THE LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AND BLOOD PRESSURE STUDY (LIMBS II) WHICH IS A PHASE 2 RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL DESIGNED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA THERAPY AND ENHANCED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION ON LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE IN PRE-HYPERTENSIVE AND STAGE 1 HYPERTENSIVE SUBJECTS. USING 24-HOUR AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING, LIMBS II AIMS TO COMPARE THE EFFECTS ON BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION IN SUBJECTS RANDOMIZED FOR 24 WEEKS TO ONE OF THE THREE FOLLOWING GROUPS: YOGA THERAPY VERSUS BLOOD PRESSURE EDUCATION PROGRAM (SODIUM RESTRICTION AND WALKING PROGRAM) VERSUS A COMBINATION PROGRAM THAT INVOLVES COMPONENTS OF BOTH GROUPS. LIMBS II WILL ALSO EXAMINE THE IMPACT THAT CHANGES IN BLOOD PRESSURE HAVE ON CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW. IF SUCCESSFUL, THE LIMBS STUDY WILL DETERMINE IF YOGA THERAPY COMBINED WITH ENHANCED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION WILL RESULT IN CLINICALLY MEANINGFUL DECREASES IN BLOOD PRESSURE AND THUS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO DRUG THERAPY FOR PATIENTS WITH PREHYPERTENSION AND STAGE 1 HYPERTENSION. 2013 11 532 22 COMPARISON OF THE EFFECT OF YOGA, ZUMBA AND AEROBICS IN CONTROLLING BLOOD PRESSURE IN THE INDIAN POPULATION. AIM: THIS STUDY AIMS AT COMPARING THE EFFECT OF YOGA, ZUMBA DANCE, AND AEROBIC EXERCISES IN CONTROLLING BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG THE INDIAN POPULATION WITHOUT USING HYPERTENSIVE DRUGS. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY IS DESIGNED TO ANALYZE THE EFFECT OF YOGA, ZUMBA, AND AEROBICS IN CONTROLLING BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG THE INDIAN POPULATION AND TO DETERMINE WHICH OF THE THREE IS BETTER TO TREAT HYPERTENSION WITHOUT USING HYPERTENSIVE DRUGS. BACKGROUND: HYPERTENSION IS A DISEASE WHICH IS NOWADAYS MOST COMMONLY SEEN AMONG CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS AND HAS BEEN FOUND THAT REGULAR EXERCISE TENDS TO REDUCE THE LEVELS OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY AMONG WHICH THE EFFECTS OF AEROBICS EXERCISE ON REDUCING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS HAD BEEN MORE CONVINCING THAT REGULAR AEROBICS EXERCISE REDUCES THE BLOOD PRESSURE BY > 1.5 MMHG. 2020 12 658 36 EFFECT OF 1-WEEK YOGA-BASED RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM ON CARDIOVASCULAR VARIABLES OF HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY. INTRODUCTION: HYPERTENSION (HTN) IS AN IMPORTANT PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN AND A LEADING CAUSE OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WORLDWIDE. YOGA IS A FORM OF MIND-BODY MEDICINE SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE IN CONTROLLING BLOOD PRESSURE (BP) AND REDUCES CARDIAC RISK FACTORS IN HTN. INTEGRATED APPROACH OF YOGA THERAPY (IAYT) IS A RESIDENTIAL YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION PROVEN TO BE BENEFICIAL IN SEVERAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. AIM: TO STUDY THE EFFICACY OF 1 WEEK OF RESIDENTIAL IAYT INTERVENTION ON CARDIOVASCULAR PARAMETERS IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS. METHODOLOGY: TWENTY HYPERTENSIVE INDIVIDUALS (7 FEMALES) WITHIN AGE RANGE BETWEEN 30 AND 60 YEARS (AVERAGE; 46.62 +/- 9.9 YEARS), WHO UNDERWENT 1 WEEK OF IAYT TREATMENT FOR HTN, WERE COMPARED WITH AGE- GENDER-MATCHED NON-IAYT GROUP (5 FEMALES; AVERAGE AGE; 47.08 +/- 9.69 YEARS) IN TERMS OF SYSTOLIC BP (SBP), DIASTOLIC BP (DBP), MEAN ARTERIAL PRESSURE (MAP), CARDIAC OUTPUT (CO), STROKE VOLUME (SV), BAROREFLEX SENSITIVITY (BRS), AND TOTAL PERIPHERAL VASCULAR RESISTANCE (TPVR), IAYT PROGRAM CONSISTED OF SESSIONS OF ASANAS, BREATHING PRACTICES, MEDITATION AND RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, LOW SALT, LOW-CALORIE DIET, DEVOTIONAL SESSION, AND COUNSELING. INDIVIDUALS IN NON-IAYT GROUP FOLLOWED THEIR NORMAL ROUTINE. ALL THE VARIABLES WERE ASSESSED BEFORE AND AFTER ONE WEEK. DATA WERE ANALYZED USING SPSS VERSION 16. RM-ANOVA WAS APPLIED TO ASSESS WITHIN GROUP AND BETWEEN GROUP CHANGES AFTER INTERVENTION. RESULTS: THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN SBP (P = 0.004), DBP (P = 0.008), MAP (0.03), BRS (P < 0.001), AND TPVR (P = 0.007) IN IAYT, GROUP WHEREAS IN CONTROL GROUP, WE DID NOT FIND SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN ANY OF THE VARIABLES. BETWEEN-GROUP COMPARISON SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN SBP (P = 0.038), BRS (P = 0.034), AND TPVR (P = 0.015) IN IAYT GROUP AS COMPARED TO NON-IAYT GROUP. CONCLUSION: ONE-WEEK IAYT INTERVENTION SHOWED AN IMPROVEMENT IN BAROREFLEX SENSITIVITY, SYSTOLIC BP, AND TOTAL PERIPHERAL VASCULAR RESISTANCE IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS. HOWEVER, FURTHER RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIALS NEED TO BE PERFORMED TO CONFIRM THE PRESENT FINDINGS. 2018 13 1915 29 ROLE OF NATUROPATHY AND YOGA TREATMENT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HYPERTENSION. AIM: THE PRIMARY AIM WAS TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF NATUROPATHY AND YOGA INTERVENTIONS IN TREATMENT OF MILD TO MODERATE HYPERTENSION. DESIGN: THE VARIABLES OF INTEREST WERE MEASURED AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE INTERVENTION USING A PRE-POST DESIGN. SETTING: THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED BY INYS MEDICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY IN JINDAL NATURE CURE INSTITUTE, BANGALORE. SUBJECTS: A TOTAL OF 104 SUBJECTS, ALREADY DIAGNOSED WITH MILD TO MODERATE HYPERTENSION AND ON TREATMENT WITH ANTIHYPERTENSIVE MEDICINES WERE INCLUDED IN STUDY. INTERVENTIONS: THE INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF VARIOUS INPATIENT ADMINISTRATION OF DIFFERENT NATUROPATHY TREATMENTS, YOGA THERAPIES, LOW CALORIE AND LOW SODIUM DIET FOR 21 DAYS. ANTIHYPERTENSIVE MEDICINES WERE WITHDRAWN FOR SOME PATIENTS IN ONE WEEK BASED UPON RESPONSE TO THE TREATMENT. OUTCOME MEASURES: THE OUTCOME MEASURES WERE VALUES OF DIASTOLIC AND SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE AND BODY WEIGHT. SUBJECTS WERE FOLLOWED FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR AFTER EVERY 3 MONTHS. RESULTS: AFTER STARTING NONPHARMACOLOGICAL APPROACH OF NATUROPATHY AND YOGA, SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE CAME DOWN FROM MEAN OF 139.6 TO 129.6 WHERE AS IT CAME DOWN FROM 91.2 TO 86.1 FOR DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE. AT THE SAME TIME FAVORABLE EFFECT WAS ALSO SEEN IN OTHER VARIABLES LIKE LIPID PROFILE AND BODY WEIGHT. AT THE END OF ONE YEAR OUT OF 57 PATIENTS WHO CAME FOR FOLLOW-UP, 14 CASES WERE FOUND TO HAVE BLOOD PRESSURE WITHIN NORMAL RANGES WITHOUT ANY MEDICATION OVER THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS. CONCLUSION: NATUROPATHY AND YOGA THERAPY CAN BE CONSIDERED AS A VALUABLE NONPHARMACOLOGICAL APPROACH IN TREATMENT OF HYPERTENSION. 2011 14 2196 27 THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF YOGA IN MANAGING HYPERTENSION. HYPERTENSION IS A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CAUSES OF PREMATURE MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY. YOGA IS A TRADITIONAL INDIAN PRACTICE THAT HAS BEEN ADAPTED FOR USE IN COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE AND MAINLY INCLUDES PHYSICAL POSTURES, BREATHING TECHNIQUES, AND MEDITATION. THE IMPACT OF YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY INTERVENTION FOR HYPERTENSION HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED IN A NUMBER OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS; WITH AN OVERALL EFFECT OF ABOUT 10 MMHG REDUCTION IN SYSTOLIC AND ABOUT 8 MMHG REDUCTION IN DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE. YOGA SEEMS TO BE EFFECTIVE ONLY FOR HYPERTENSION BUT NOT FOR PREHYPERTENSION; AND ONLY AS AN ADJUNCT TO ANTIHYPERTENSIVE PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT BUT NOT AS AN ALTERNATIVE THERAPY. BREATHING AND MEDITATION RATHER THAN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SEEM TO BE THE ACTIVE PART OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS FOR HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS. THESE PRACTICES CAN INCREASE PARASYMPATHIC ACTIVITY AND DECREASE SYMPATHETIC ACTIVITY, ARGUABLY MAINLY BY INCREASING GABA ACTIVITY; THUS COUNTERACTING EXCESS ACTIVITY OF THE SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM WHICH HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH HYPERTENSION. ALTHOUGH YOGA HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH SERIOUS ADVERSE EVENTS IN SINGLE CASE REPORTS, POPULATION-BASED SURVEYS AS WELL AS CLINICAL TRIALS INDICATE THAT YOGA IS A RELATIVELY SAFE INTERVENTION THAT IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH MORE ADVERSE EVENTS THAN OTHER FORMS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. YOGA CAN THUS BE CONSIDERED A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR MANAGING HYPERTENSION. GIVEN THE POSSIBLY BETTER RISK/BENEFIT RATIO, IT MAY BE ADVISABLE TO FOCUS ON YOGIC MEDITATION AND/OR BREATHING TECHNIQUES. 2016 15 300 19 AN ASSESSMENT OF A SEQUENCE OF YOGA EXERCISES TO PATIENTS WITH ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION. THIS QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY DESCRIBES THE EFFECTS OF A YOGA SEQUENCE FOLLOWING HEMODYNAMIC AND BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION. THIRTY-THREE VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY (CONTROL = 16 AND YOGA = 17) FOR FOUR MONTHS. BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS, CARDIAC AND RESPIRATORY RATE WERE COLLECTED MONTHLY, WHILE THE BIOCHEMICAL PROFILE WAS TAKEN AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE PROGRAM. TO ANALYZE THE DATA, STUDENT'S T TEST AND REPEATED MEASURES ANALYSES WERE PERFORMED. THE YOGA GROUP SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART AND RESPIRATORY RATE (P < 0.05). AS FOR THE BIOCHEMICAL PROFILE, THE YOGA GROUP SHOWED CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS BETWEEN INITIAL VALUES AND FINAL RESPONSES GREATER THAN THE CONTROL OF FASTING GLUCOSE, TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, LDL-CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDES. THE ELABORATED SEQUENCE PRACTICE PROMOTED SIGNIFICANT CARDIOVASCULAR AND METABOLIC BENEFITS. THE YOGA EXERCISES PERFORMED IN THE PROPOSED SEQUENCE CONSTITUTE COMPLEMENTARY NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL CONTROL OF BLOOD PRESSURE IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION. 2013 16 1345 29 HYPERTENSION ANALYSIS OF STRESS REDUCTION USING MINDFULNESS MEDITATION AND YOGA (THE HARMONY STUDY): STUDY PROTOCOL OF A RANDOMISED CONTROL TRIAL. INTRODUCTION: HYPERTENSION (HTN) IS A LEADING RISK FACTOR FOR PREVENTABLE CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, WITH OVER ONE IN FIVE ADULTS AFFECTED WORLDWIDE. LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION IS A KEY STRATEGY FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF HTN. STRESS HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH GREATER CARDIOVASCULAR RISK, AND STRESS MANAGEMENT IS A RECOMMENDED INTERVENTION FOR HYPERTENSIVES. STRESS REDUCTION THROUGH RELAXATION THERAPIES HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE AN EFFECT ON HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY, INCLUDING LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE (BP). HOWEVER, INDIVIDUALISED BEHAVIOURAL INTERVENTIONS ARE RESOURCE INTENSIVE, AND GROUP STRESS MANAGEMENT APPROACHES HAVE NOT BEEN VALIDATED FOR REDUCING HTN. THE HARMONY STUDY IS A PILOT RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL DESIGNED TO DETERMINE IF MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION (MBSR), A STANDARDISED GROUP THERAPY, IS AN EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR LOWERING BP IN STAGE 1 UNMEDICATED HYPERTENSIVES. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: MEN AND WOMEN UNMEDICATED FOR HTN WITH MEAN DAYTIME AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE (ABP) >/=135/85 MM HG OR 24 H ABP >/=130/80 MM HG ARE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY. SUBJECTS ARE RANDOMISED TO RECEIVE MBSR IMMEDIATELY OR AFTER A WAIT-LIST CONTROL PERIOD. THE PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE IS MEAN AWAKE AND 24 H ABP. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THE HARMONY STUDY IS TO COMPARE ABP BETWEEN THE TREATMENT AND WAIT-LIST CONTROL ARM AT THE 12-WEEK PRIMARY ASSESSMENT PERIOD. RESULTS FROM THIS STUDY WILL DETERMINE IF MBSR IS AN EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR LOWERING BP IN EARLY UNMEDICATED HYPERTENSIVES. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: THIS RESEARCH PROJECT WAS APPROVED BY THE SUNNYBROOK RESEARCH ETHICS BOARD AND THE UNIVERSITY HEALTH NETWORK RESEARCH ETHICS BOARD (TORONTO, CANADA). PLANNED ANALYSES ARE IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF THE DECLARATION OF HELSINKI. DATA COLLECTION WILL BE COMPLETED BY EARLY SPRING 2012. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ANALYSIS WILL COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY AFTER DATA MONITORING IS COMPLETED; DISSEMINATION PLANS INCLUDE PREPARING PUBLICATIONS FOR SUBMISSION DURING THE SUMMER OF 2012. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: THIS STUDY IS REGISTERED WITH HTTP://CLINICALTRIALS.GOV (NCT00825526). 2012 17 2491 35 YOGA AS ANTIHYPERTENSIVE LIFESTYLE THERAPY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS. OBJECTIVE: TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFICACY OF YOGA AS ANTIHYPERTENSIVE LIFESTYLE THERAPY AND IDENTIFY MODERATORS THAT ACCOUNT FOR VARIABILITY IN THE BLOOD PRESSURE (BP) RESPONSE TO YOGA. METHODS: WE SYSTEMATICALLY SEARCHED 6 ELECTRONIC DATABASES FROM INCEPTION THROUGH JUNE 4, 2018, FOR ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE JOURNALS ON TRIALS OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS THAT INVOLVED ADULT PARTICIPANTS, REPORTED PREINTERVENTION AND POSTINTERVENTION BP, AND HAD A NONEXERCISE/NONDIET CONTROL GROUP. OUR SEARCH YIELDED 49 QUALIFYING CONTROLLED TRIALS (56 INTERVENTIONS). WE (1) EVALUATED THE RISK OF BIAS AND METHODOLOGICAL STUDY QUALITY, (2) PERFORMED META-REGRESSION ANALYSIS FOLLOWING RANDOM-EFFECTS ASSUMPTIONS, AND (3) GENERATED ADDITIVE MODELS THAT REPRESENTED THE LARGEST POSSIBLE CLINICALLY RELEVANT BP REDUCTIONS. RESULTS: ON AVERAGE, THE 3517 TRIAL PARTICIPANTS WERE MIDDLE-AGED (49.2+/-19.5 YEARS), OVERWEIGHT (27.9+/-3.6 KG/M(2)) ADULTS WITH HIGH BP (SYSTOLIC BP, 129.3+/-13.3 MM HG; DIASTOLIC BP, 80.7+/-8.4 MM HG). YOGA WAS PRACTICED 4.8+/-3.4 SESSIONS PER WEEK FOR 59.2+/-25.0 MINUTES PER SESSION FOR 13.2+/-7.5 WEEKS. ON AVERAGE, YOGA ELICITED MODERATE REDUCTIONS IN SYSTOLIC BP (WEIGHTED MEAN EFFECT SIZE, -0.47; 95% CI, -0.62-0.32, -5.0 MM HG) AND DIASTOLIC BP (WEIGHTED MEAN EFFECT SIZE, -0.47; 95% CI, -0.61 TO -0.32; -3.9 MM HG) COMPARED WITH CONTROLS (P<.001 FOR BOTH SYSTOLIC BP AND DIASTOLIC BP). CONTROLLING FOR PUBLICATION BIAS AND METHODOLOGICAL STUDY QUALITY, WHEN YOGA WAS PRACTICED 3 SESSIONS PER WEEK AMONG SAMPLES WITH HYPERTENSION, YOGA INTERVENTIONS THAT INCLUDED BREATHING TECHNIQUES AND MEDITATION/MENTAL RELAXATION ELICITED BP REDUCTIONS OF 11/6 MM HG COMPARED WITH THOSE THAT DID NOT (IE, 6/3 MM HG). CONCLUSION: OUR RESULTS INDICATE THAT YOGA IS A VIABLE ANTIHYPERTENSIVE LIFESTYLE THERAPY THAT PRODUCES THE GREATEST BP BENEFITS WHEN BREATHING TECHNIQUES AND MEDITATION/MENTAL RELAXATION ARE INCLUDED. 2019 18 2585 39 YOGA FOR HYPERTENSION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIALS. OBJECTIVES: TO CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA AS A TREATMENT OF HYPERTENSION. METHODS: SEVENTEEN DATABASES WERE SEARCHED FROM THEIR INCEPTIONS TO JANUARY 2014. RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIALS (RCTS) WERE INCLUDED, IF THEY EVALUATED YOGA AGAINST ANY TYPE OF CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH ANY FORM OF ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION. RISK OF BIAS WAS ESTIMATED USING THE COCHRANE CRITERIA. THREE INDEPENDENT REVIEWERS PERFORMED THE SELECTION OF STUDIES, DATA EXTRACTION, AND QUALITY ASSESSMENTS. RESULTS: SEVENTEEN TRIALS MET THE INCLUSION CRITERIA. ONLY TWO RCTS WERE OF ACCEPTABLE METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY. ELEVEN RCTS SUGGESTED THAT YOGA LEADS TO A SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER REDUCTION IN SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (SBP) COMPARED TO VARIOUS FORMS OF PHARMACOTHERAPY, BREATH AWARENESS OR READING, HEALTH EDUCATION, NO TREATMENT (NT), OR USUAL CARE (UC). EIGHT RCTS SUGGESTED THAT YOGA LEADS TO A SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER REDUCTION IN DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (DBP) OR NIGHT-TIME DBP COMPARED TO PHARMACOTHERAPY, NT, OR UC. FIVE RCTS INDICATED THAT YOGA HAD NO EFFECT ON SBP COMPARED TO DIETARY MODIFICATION (DIM), ENHANCED UC, PASSIVE RELAXATION (PR), OR PHYSICAL EXERCISES (PE). EIGHT RCTS INDICATED THAT YOGA HAD NO EFFECT ON DBP COMPARED TO DIM, ENHANCED UC, PHARMACOTHERAPY, NT, PE, PR, OR BREATH AWARENESS OR READING. ONE RCT DID NOT REPORT BETWEEN-GROUP COMPARISONS. CONCLUSION: THE EVIDENCE FOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA AS A TREATMENT OF HYPERTENSION IS ENCOURAGING BUT INCONCLUSIVE. FURTHER, MORE RIGOROUS TRIALS SEEM WARRANTED. 2014 19 2176 17 THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON HYPERTENSIVE PERSONS IN THAILAND. TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A YOGA PROGRAM ON BLOOD PRESSURE AND STRESS, A GROUP OF HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS IN THAILAND WERE STUDIED, WITH THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP SHOWING SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED MEAN STRESS SCORES AND BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART RATE, AND BODY MASS INDEX LEVELS COMPARED WITH THE CONTROL GROUP. FURTHER STUDIES ARE SUGGESTED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON HYPERTENSION IN THAILAND. 2005 20 938 26 EFFECTS OF 1-YEAR YOGA ON CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME: A RANDOMIZED TRIAL. BACKGROUND: METABOLIC SYNDROME (METS) IS A CLUSTERING OF CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS, WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH DIABETES MELLITUS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS APPLIED TO PEOPLE WITH METS HAS CONSIDERABLE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON DISEASE PREVENTIVE OUTCOMES. THIS STUDY AIMED TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF 1-YEAR OF YOGA EXERCISE ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS INCLUDING CENTRAL OBESITY, HYPERTENSION, DYSLIPIDEMIA AND HYPERGLYCEMIA IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER HONG KONG CHINESE ADULTS WITH METS. METHODS: ADULTS DIAGNOSED WITH METS USING NATIONAL CHOLESTEROL EDUCATION PROGRAM CRITERIA (N = 182; MEAN +/- SD AGE = 56 +/- 9.1) WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO A 1-YEAR YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP OR CONTROL GROUP. SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE, TRIGLYCERIDES, AND HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL WERE EXAMINED AT BASELINE, MIDWAY, AND ON COMPLETION OF THE STUDY. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVEL AND CALORIC INTAKE WERE ASSESSED AND INCLUDED IN THE COVARIATE ANALYSES. RESULTS: A REDUCTION OF THE NUMBER OF DIAGNOSTIC COMPONENTS FOR METS WAS FOUND TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE YOGA INTERVENTION. WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED AFTER THE 1-YEAR YOGA INTERVENTION. A TREND TOWARDS A DECREASE IN SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE WAS OBSERVED FOLLOWING YOGA INTERVENTION. CONCLUSION: THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT YOGA EXERCISE IMPROVES THE CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS INCLUDING CENTRAL OBESITY AND BLOOD PRESSURE IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS WITH METS. THESE FINDINGS SUPPORT THE COMPLEMENTARY BENEFICIAL ROLE OF YOGA IN MANAGING METS. 2015