Vinyasa Yoga for High Blood Pressure

Overseen By Alexis Thrower, MS

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: West Virginia University

Disqualifiers: Regular exercise, Regular yoga, Uncontrolled hypertension, Pregnancy, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 36

Duration: 12 weeks

30 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but it requires that you are on a stable dose of any medications that could affect the study outcomes.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Vinyasa Yoga for high blood pressure?

Research shows that yoga, which includes postures, meditation, and breathing exercises, can significantly lower blood pressure. Studies found that yoga interventions reduced systolic blood pressure by about 4 to 8 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by about 3 to 6 mmHg, suggesting it can be an effective treatment for managing high blood pressure. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is Vinyasa Yoga safe for humans?

Research shows that yoga, including Vinyasa Yoga, is generally safe for humans and not associated with more adverse events than other forms of physical activity. While serious adverse events have been reported in rare cases, most studies indicate that yoga is a relatively safe practice. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

How does Vinyasa Yoga differ from other treatments for high blood pressure?

Vinyasa Yoga is unique because it combines physical postures, meditation, and breathing exercises, which can enhance parasympathetic activity (the part of the nervous system that helps the body relax) and improve heart rate variability, potentially leading to better blood pressure control. Unlike medication, it is a moderate-intensity physical activity that can also improve overall cardiovascular health and adaptability to stress. ^{4 6 10 11 12}

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of this study is to test a 12-week vinyasa yoga (flow yoga) intervention via Zoom. This program will be for 30 individuals with high blood pressure. 15 will receive the intervention and 15 will follow their usual routine. The investigators will determine if this vinyasa yoga program is feasible and acceptable in this population. Investigators will measure and compare blood pressure and other health responses such as physical health and well-being before and after participants complete the intervention or usual care period. The investigators hope to demonstrate that vinyasa yoga is a good option to improve heart health in people with high blood pressure. Primary Objective - Examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a 12-wk remotely-delivered vinyasa yoga intervention (3 x per week) on cardiovascular (CV) health in adults with hypertension (HTN).

Research Team

Bethany Barone Gibbs, PhD

Principal Investigator

West Virginia University

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adults with high blood pressure who have not engaged in a regular yoga practice. Participants must be able to attend remote Zoom sessions three times per week for 12 weeks and should not be involved in other similar interventions.

Inclusion Criteria

Individuals with a resting systolic BP >130 mmHg

Exclusion Criteria

Practice yoga regularly (1 or more day/wk in the past month)

Are currently pregnant or planning to become pregnant within 6 months

Are concurrently enrolled in another lifestyle program

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive a 12-week vinyasa yoga intervention via Zoom, with three 60-minute sessions per week

12 weeks

36 sessions (virtual)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Vinyasa Yoga

Trial Overview The study tests if a remote vinyasa yoga program can improve heart health over 12 weeks. Half of the participants will do flow yoga via Zoom, while the other half continue their usual routine. Health measures like blood pressure and well-being are compared before and after.

Participant Groups

Group I: Vinyasa Yoga Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will complete a 12-week, remotely-delivered intervention with three 60-minute vinyasa yoga sessions per week via Zoom, following an adapted Journey into Power yoga sequence by Baron Baptiste. The sessions will incorporate three mind-body components of yoga: through physical yoga poses, mindfulness, and breathing.

Group II: Standard Routine Active Control 1 Intervention

Standard usual routine for 12 weeks

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

West Virginia University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

192

Recruited

64,700+

Findings from Research

A systematic review of 94 randomized controlled trials involving 8,430 participants found that yoga is as safe as usual care and exercise, with no significant differences in serious adverse events or dropouts due to adverse events.

While yoga had a higher occurrence of nonserious adverse events compared to psychological or educational interventions, the overall safety profile suggests that it is a viable therapeutic option, highlighting the need for better reporting of safety data in future studies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Safety of Yoga: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Cramer, H., Ward, L., Saper, R., et al.[2018]

References

1. India pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Content, Structure, and Delivery Characteristics of Yoga Interventions for Managing Hypertension: A Systematic Review Protocol. [2023]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effects of yoga on hypertensive persons in Thailand. [2019]

3. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Content, Structure, and Delivery Characteristics of Yoga Interventions for Managing Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. [2022]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of yoga for hypertension: systematic review and meta-analysis. [2022]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Additional benefit of yoga to standard lifestyle modification on blood pressure in prehypertensive subjects: a randomized controlled study. [2021]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Blood pressure and heart rate variability responses following an acute bout of vinyasa yoga and a prolonged seated control: A randomized crossover trial. [2023]

7. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Efficacy and Safety of Yoga in Managing Hypertension. [2016]

8. India pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of yoga therapy on heart rate, blood pressure and cardiac autonomic function in heart failure. [2022]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Safety of Yoga: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. [2018]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Yoga Practitioners Exhibit Higher Parasympathetic Activity and Baroreflex Sensitivity and Better Adaptability to 40 mm Hg Lower-Body Negative Pressure. [2022]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Oxygen Consumption and Heart Rate Responses in Different Vinyasa Yoga Sequences. [2023]

12. India pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Modulation of stress induced by isometric handgrip test in hypertensive patients following yogic relaxation training. [2008]