Electronic ISSN 2287-0237
The aim of this study is to examine the effect of slow deep breathing in mindfulness exercises on physical health outcome among hypertensive patients.
Two primary health care units (PCU) were selected as control and intervention groups. Samples were patients aged 35 - 59 years old, diagnosed with stage I hypertension. Both groups received the standard for hypertension guidelines treatment. The experimental group was added as a drill in observational breathing in mindfulness skills, which recognizes the feeling of adaptation to everyday life.
The physical outcomes were measured on the 6th week as follows: respiratory rate (RR); blood pressure (BP); and heart rate (HR) test. Those that were statistically significantly different in RR 4.7 (p = 0.007), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) 6.7 (p = 0.008), HR 7.1 (p = 0.018), on the 12th week RR 9.0 (p < 0.001), and DBP 5.6 (p = .002) when compared to the control group. However there was no statistically significant difference in systolic blood pressure (SBP) (6th and 12th week) and heart rate (HR) (12th week).
Slow breathing in mindfulness training should be introduced as a counterpart to modern medicine and promoted to stage I hypertensive patients for resting cardiovascular and blood pressure disease.
slow breathing, mindfulness, physical health outcome, hypertension
Associate professor Pantip Sangprasert Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Rangsit, Pathumthani, 12121, Thailand. email: [email protected]
Received: May 29, 2018
Revision received: June 1, 2018
Accepted after revision: June 25, 2018
BKK Med J 2018;14(2): 48-54.
DOI: 10.31524/bkkmedj.2018.09.009
