Research Information System
Turk J Cardiovasc Nurs, vol.11, no.26, pp.125-131, 2020 (TRDizin)
Abstract
DOI: 10.5543/khd.2020.92905
Turk J Cardiovasc Nurs 2020;11(26):125–131
Kardiyovasküler Hemşirelik Dergisi
Objective: In this study as a simple randomization method was aim to evaluate the effect of alternate nostril breathing
exercise on regulation of blood pressure in individuals with hypertension.
Methods: The study was conducted between October 2017 and March 2018 with patients (n=76) with essential hypertension who visited the internal medicine outpatient clinic of a training and research hospital. The patients (n=76) were
divided into experimental and control groups according to the inclusion criteria. Patients in the experimental group
(n=37) performed alternate nostril breathing exercise and those in the control group (n=39) sat silently for 15 min/day
for a period of two weeks. The pre- and post-intervention blood pressure of patients in the two groups was measured
in the clinic at the end of the first and second week; the pre- and post-intervention measurements of blood pressure
were performed at home daily for two weeks.
Results: The study included 72.4% female patients and 27.6% male patients; the mean age of the patients was 52.4±6.9
years. The mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) of patients in the experimental group measured at the clinic in the second week was approximately 4 mmHg lower than that of the control group (p<0.05). In addition, the mean SBP of
patients in the experimental group measured at home in the second week was approximately 3 mmHg lower than that
of the control group (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Alternate nostril breathing exercises in addition to pharmacological treatment may regulate the blood
pressure in patients with hypertension.
Keywords: Blood pressure; breathing exercises; hypertension; nursing; yoga.