Comparative effect of 12 weeks of slow and fast pranayama training on pulmonary function in young, healthy volunteers: A randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT: Pranayamas are breathing techniques that exert profound physiological effects on pulmonary, cardiovascular, and mental functions. Previous studies demonstrate that different types of pranayamas produce divergent effects. AIM: The aim was to compare the effect of 12 weeks of slow and fast pranayama training on pulmonary function in young, healthy volunteers. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This study was carried out in Departments of Physiology and ACYTER, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry in 2011. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Ninety one healthy volunteers were randomized into slow pranayama group (SPG), n =29, fast pranayama group (FPG), n = 32 and control groups (CG) (n = 30). Supervised pranayama training (SPG: Nadisodhana, Pranav pranayama and Savitri pranayama; FPG: Kapalabhati, Bhastrika and Kukkriya pranayama) was given for 30 min/day, thrice/week for 12 weeks by certified yoga instructors. Pulmonary function parameters (PFT) such as forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1), ratio between FEV1 and FVC (FEV1 /FVC), peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV), and forced expiratory flow25-75 (FEF25-75), were recorded at baseline and after 12 weeks of pranayama training using the computerized spirometer (Micro laboratory V1.32, England). RESULTS: In SPG, PEFR, and FEF25-75 improved significantly (P < 0.05) while other parameters (FVC, FEV1, FEV1 /FVC, and MVV) showed only marginal improvements. In FPG, FEV1 /FVC, PEFR, and FEF25-75 parameters improved significantly (P < 0.05), while FVC, FEV1, and MVV did not show significant (P > 0.05) change. No significant change was observed in CG. CONCLUSION: Twelve weeks of pranayama training in young subjects showed improvement in the commonly measured PFT. This indicates that pranayama training improved pulmonary function and that this was more pronounced in the FPG.

Effect of antihypertensive therapy on serum lipids in newly diagnosed essential hypertensive men.

The effect of antihypertensives on serum lipids in newly diagnosed male essential hypertensive patients was studied. The participants (n = 99) were randomly allocated to receive amlodipine, atenolol, enalapril, hydrochlorothiazide, and a combination of amlodipine and atenolol. Lipid parameters were estimated before and after 8 weeks of therapy. The atenolol and thiazide group showed a significant increase in triglycerides (TGs) and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C). High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and HDL-C to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ratio were significantly increased and TC to HDL-C ratio was significantly decreased in the amlodipine and amlodipine- atenolol combination groups. In the enalapril group, we found a significant reduction in TC, TGs, VLDL-C, non-HDL-C, and TG to HDL-C ratio after treatment. It can be concluded from the present study that some drugs have beneficial effects on the lipid status, whereas others adversely affect the lipid status in hypertension.

Short-term heart variability and oxidative stress in newly diagnosed essential hypertension.

We sought to evaluate oxidative stress parameters like malondialdehyde, total antioxidant status, and time, frequency domain heart rate variability indices in newly diagnosed untreated hypertension. We also sought to study the correlation between heart rate variability and oxidative stress parameters in normotensive and newly diagnosed untreated essential hypertensives. Fourteen normotensive males and 36 newly diagnosed male hypertensives were enrolled for the study. Malondialdehyde, total antioxidant status, and heart rate variability in the frequency and time domain were studied in the hypertensive and normotensive group. Malondialdehyde was significantly higher in the hypertensive group, whereas total antioxidant status was significantly higher in the control group. SDNN, RR triangular index, RMSSD, log(10) low-frequency power, log (10) high-frequency power, log (10) total power, and heart rate variability during deep breathing test was significantly lower in hypertensive patients compared to normotensive controls. SDNN, RMSSD, high-frequency power, and high-frequency power normalized had significant negative correlation with malondialdehyde. Low-frequency power normalized positively correlated with malondialdehyde. Total antioxidant status had a significant negative correlation with blood pressure. The study gives further evidence for a decreased heart rate variability and elevated oxidative stress in hypertension.