Researchers from the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Bridgeport Hospital in Bridgeport, Connecticut examined the physiological mechanisms whereby stress reduction techniques physiologically benefit vascular tone and reduce cardiovascular events.
A 6-week pilot study examined the effects of yoga and guided meditation on hemodynamic and laboratory parameters as well as on endothelial function. Outcome measures included systolic and diastolic blood pressures, heart rate, body mass index (BMI), fasting glucose, lipids, hs C-reactive protein (CRP), and endothelial function (as assessed by brachial artery reactivity), assessed at baseline and again after 6 weeks of yoga/meditation practice.
Thirty-three subjects (mean age 55), 30% with and 70% without coronary artery disease, were trained in yoga and meditation for an hour and a half, three times a week, for six weeks, with instructions to practice at home as well.
The study found significant reductions in blood pressure, heart rate, and BMI in the total yoga cohort. None of the laboratory parameters changed significantly with yoga. For the total cohort there was no significant improvement in endothelial-dependent vasodilatation with yoga training and meditation compared with baseline (16.7% relative improvement from 7.2-8.4%; p = 0.3).
However, in the group with CAD, endothelial-dependent vasodilatation improved 69% with yoga training (6.38-10.78%; p = 0.09). The study concludes that yoga and meditation appear to improve endothelial function in subjects with coronary artery disease.
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