Yoga, a holistic practice that focuses on mind-body connection, is useful for managing stress, boosting memory and relieving symptoms of chronic conditions reminiscent of arthritis. A latest study has found that yoga as a complementary therapy may help heart failure patients improve their quality of life and cardiovascular function.

Heart failure, also referred to as congestive heart failure, is a heart problems when the center fails to pump properly, resulting in fluid buildup, shortness of breath and other complications.

The condition affects around six million adults in the USA, in keeping with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC).

To know the advantages of yoga on patients with heart failure, researchers evaluated 75 people admitted to a healthcare center within the southern a part of India. All of the participants were in Class III of the NYHA (Latest York Heart Association) functional classification system, which rates the severity of physical activity limitations, with Class I representing mild limitations and Class IV probably the most severe.

Out of the full participants, 35 received yoga therapy, together with guideline-directed medical therapy, while the remaining received only guideline-directed medical therapy. The therapy group was taught chosen techniques like pranayama, meditation and rest techniques. They practiced them at the least five days per week for 12 months.

During follow-ups, researchers measured the center health of all participants using the echocardiographic parameters. To measure the changes in quality of life, the team used the World Health Organization’s quality of life questionnaire. Participants were asked to fill out the questionnaire at first of the study, at 24 weeks and after 48 weeks of follow-up.

Researchers saw improvements in endurance, strength, balance, symptom stability, quality of life and cardiovascular function within the group that used yoga as a complementary therapy.

“At each the six- and 12-month follow-up improved biventricular systolic function was seen within the interventional (yoga) group in comparison with the non-interventional group. The interventional group also showed substantial improvement in functional outcomes as assessed by the NYHA classification,” researchers said in a news release.

The study was presented on the American College of Cardiology Asia 2023 conference within the Philippines.

“Yoga is a mix of mind-body techniques, which is a set of physical exercises [asana] with respiratory techniques [pranayama], rest, and meditation that could be effectively used to stimulate physical and mental well-being,” said study lead creator Ajit Singh, research scientist for the Indian Council for Medical Research at Kasturba Medical College and Hospital. “Our patients observed improvement in systolic blood pressure and heart rate in comparison with patients who were on medication without yoga.”

Published by Medicaldaily.com