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| April 2001, Volume 15, Number 4, Pages 263-269 |
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| Original Article |
| Breathing-control lowers blood pressure |
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| E Grossman1, A Grossman1, M H Schein2, R Zimlichman3 and B Gavish4 |
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1Internal Medicine D, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
2Family Medicine Unit, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
3Internal Medicine F Wolfson Hospital Holon, Israel
4InterCure Ltd, Neve Ilan, Israel
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Correspondence to: Dr Ehud Grossman, Internal Medicine D, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, 52621, Israel. E-mail: gross-e@zahav.net.il
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| Abstract |
| We hypothesise that routinely applied short sessions of slow and regular breathing can lower blood pressure (BP). Using a new technology BIM (Breathe with Interactive Music), hypertensive patients were guided towards slow and regular breathing. The present study evaluates the efficacy of the BIM in lowering BP. We studied 33 patients (23M/10F), aged 25-75 years, with uncontrolled BP. Patients were randomised into either active treatment with the BIM (n = 18) or a control treatment with a Walkman (n = 15). Treatment at home included either musically-guided breathing exercises with the BIM or listening to quiet music played by a Walkman for 10 min daily for 8 weeks. BP and heart rate were measured both at the clinic and at home with an Omron IC BP monitor. Clinic BP levels were measured at baseline, and after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment. Home BP measurements were taken daily, morning and evening, throughout the study. The two groups were matched by initial BP, age, gender, body mass index and medication status. The BP change at the clinic was -7.5/-4.0 mm Hg in the active treatment group, vs -2.9/-1.5 mm Hg in the control group (P = 0.001 for systolic BP). Analysis of home-measured data showed an average BP change of -5.0/-2.7 mm Hg in the active treatment group and -1.2/+0.9 mm Hg in the control group. Ten out of 18 (56%) were defined as responders in the active treatment group but only two out of 14 (14%) in the control group (P = 0.02). Thus, breathing exercise guided by the BIM device for 10 min daily is an effective non-pharmacological modality to reduce BP. Journal of Human Hypertension (2001) 15, 263-269 |
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| Keywords |
| non-pharmacological treatment; regular breathing; music; blood pressure |
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| Received 1 June 2000; revised 20 July 2000; accepted 3 August 2000 |
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| April 2001, Volume 15, Number 4, Pages 263-269 |
| Table of contents Previous Abstract Next Article PDF |
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