Breathing-control lowers blood pressure

We hypothesise that routinely applied short sessions of slow and regular br eathing can lower blood pressure (BP). Using a new technology BIM breathe w ith Interactive Music), hypertensive patients were guided towards slow and regular breathing. The present study evaluates the efficacy of the BIM in l owering BP. We studied 33 patients (23M/10F), aged 25-75 years, with uncont rolled Up. Patients were randomised into either active treatment with the B IM (n = 18) or a control treatment with a Walkman (n = 15), Treatment at ho me included either musically-guided breathing exercises with the BIM or lis tening to quiet music played by a Walkman for 10 min dairy for 8 weeks. BP and heart rate were measured both at the clinic and at home with an Omron I C 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 eve ning, throughout the study. The two groups were matched by initial Up, age, gender, body mass index and medication status. The Up change at the clinic was -7.5/-4.0 mm Hg in the active treatment group, vs -2.9/-1.5 mm Hg in t he control group (P = 0.001 for systolic BP). Analysis of home-measured dat a showed an average BP change of -5.0/-2.7 mm Hg in the active treatment gr oup and -1.2/+0.9 mm Hg in the control group. Ten out of 18 (56%) were defi ned 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 B IM device for 10 min daily is an effective non-pharmacological modality to reduce BP.