Divine love and deep connections: a long-term followup of patients surviving cardiac surgery

Notes:

• The authors examined experiencing divine love as an indicator of affective spiritual growth in a prospective cohort of 200 patients surviving cardiac surgery. These patients previously completed two-wave preoperative interviews when standardized cardiac surgery data were also collected. The information included left ventricular ejection fraction, New York Heart Association Classification, baseline health (physical and mental), optimism, hope, religiousness, prayer coping, religious/spiritual coping, and demographics. The authors then measured divine love at 900 days postoperatively. Hierarchical linear regression indicated the direct effect of positive religious coping on experiences of divine love, controlling for other key variables. Postoperatively perceived spiritual support was entered at the final step as an explanatory factor, which appeared to mediate the coping effect. None of the other faith factors predicted divine love. Further research regarding divine love and spiritual support may eventually guide clinical attempts to support patients' spiritual growth as an independently relevant outcome of cardiac surgery.

Spiritual struggle related to plasma interleukin-6 prior to cardiac surgery.

Tags:

• cardiac diseases & cardiac surgery
• Coping Behavior
• coping with stress
• Heart Disorders
• Heart Surgery
• immune-inflammatory marker interleukin-6
• Interleukins
• religion
• spiritual struggle
• spirituality
• Stress

Notes:

• Spiritual struggle appeared consistently to predict poor health outcomes, including mortality. Despite surging interest in the health benefits of religion and spirituality, the health hassle of existential conflicts and proinflammatory cytokines as a potential physiological mechanism has been overlooked. Based on psychological and theological assumptions, we argue for the universal nature of spiritual struggle, a crisis-related existential conflict, and for investigating its physiological influence as essential to understanding human nature. Increased levels of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been linked with adverse health outcomes and negative emotions. This study thus examined spiritual struggle related to plasma IL-6 in 235 adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery, along with positive religious coping, general coping, and optimism, controlling for standardized clinical medical indicators. Multiple regression analysis, following a preplanned sequence, showed that spiritual struggle (p = .011), behavioral coping (p = .013) were positively associated with excess plasma IL-6, controlling for medical correlates (e.g., left ventricular ejection fraction). We conclude that spiritual struggle, indicating the crisis in an existential relation, and behavioral coping strategies are associated with elevated pre-operative plasma IL-6. The interdisciplinary implications are discussed.

Private prayer and quality of life in cardiac patients: Pathways of cognitive coping and social support.

Tags:

• cardiac patients
• Coping
• Coping Behavior
• Heart Surgery
• prayer
• private prayer
• Quality of Life
• short term quality of life

Notes:

• Despite the growing evidence linking faith with health and well-being, national leaders noted the need to explore the mechanism underlying these linkages. The goal of this prospective study was to investigate the psychosocial mechanisms involved in the preoperative use of private prayer for coping and the effects of such act on short-term quality of life (SPQOL) in 294 patients following open-heart surgery. Using established instruments, three interviews were conducted with middle-aged and older patients (average age 62) at two weeks and two days preoperatively, then 36 days postoperatively. The endpoints were assessed with levels of distress (e.g., depression and anxiety) and fatigue symptoms. Structural equation modeling was used to test a theoretical model. The final model showed the indirect influence of using prayer for coping on SPQOL through the mediation of cognitive coping and perceived social support. However, this mediation was not observed for behavioral, anger, and avoidant coping. Psychosocial factors may explain the potential role of using prayer for coping on short-term postoperative quality of life.

Pathways to postoperative hostility in cardiac patients: mediation of coping, spiritual struggle and interleukin-6

Notes:

• Using structural equation modeling, we estimated major pathways from preoperative distress, indicated by anxiety and other factors, to postoperative hostility in cardiac patients. Sequential interviews were conducted before and after surgery. Standardized medical and surgical indices were selected from a national database. Results showed that preoperative spiritual struggle mediated indirect effects of anxiety and anger coping on Interleukin-6 (IL-6) immediately before surgery. The link between spiritual struggle and IL-6 further mediated the indirect effects of anxiety and anger coping on postoperative hostility. Anger coping mediated the harmful influence of anxiety and counteracted the protection of positive religious coping on adjustment.

Prayer and reverence in naturalistic, aesthetic, and socio-moral contexts predicted fewer complications following coronary artery bypass.

Tags:

• CORONARY artery bypass
• DISEASES -- Religious aspects
• HEART -- Blood-vessels
• PATIENTS
• SURGERY -- Complications

Notes:

• This prospective study explores prayer, reverence, and other aspects of faith in postoperative complications and hospital length of stay of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Alongside traditional religiousness measures, we examined sense of reverence in religious and secular contexts. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 177 patients 2 weeks before surgery at a medical center. Medical variables were retrieved from the national Society of Thoracic Surgeons’ Database. Logistic and multiple regression models were performed to predict outcomes. Prayer frequencies were associated with reduced complications but not hospitalization. Sense of reverence in secular contexts predicted fewer complications and shorter hospitalization. Controlling for complications reduced the initial influence of reverence on hospitalization, suggesting the potential mediation of complications. No interaction between demographics and faith factors was evident. The role of faith in medicine is complex and context-dependent. Future studies are needed on mediating factors

Long-term Adjustment After Surviving Open Heart Surgery: The Effect of Using Prayer for Coping Replicated in a Prospective Design

Notes:

• A study examines multifaceted effects of religious factors on long-term postoperative adjustment, extending author's previous findings concerning prayer and coping with cardiac disease.

Acute effects of transcendental meditation on hemodynamic functioning in middle-aged adults

Tags:

• Adult
• Blood Pressure
• Female
• Heart Rate
• Hemodynamics
• Hypertension
• Life Style
• Male
• Meditation
• Middle Aged
• Questionnaires
• Vascular Resistance

Notes:

• Some studies have demonstrated that Transcendental Meditation (TM) reduces high blood pressure, but the hemodynamic adjustments behind these blood pressure reductions have not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to provide a preliminary investigation of the acute effects of TM on TPR. Conclusions: TPR decreased significantly during TM.

Psychosocial factors, quality of life, and psychological distress: ethnic differences in patients with heart failure

Notes:

• Advances in treatment have prolonged life in heart failure (HF) patients, leading to increased attention to quality of life (QOL) and psychological functioning. It is not clear if ethnic differences exist in factors associated with psychological well-being. We examined psychosocial factors associated with depression and anxiety in 97 HF patients. Medical records were reviewed and patients (M age 53, 50% African American) completed surveys examining social support, coping, spirituality, and QOL for their association with depression and anxiety. Multiple regressions suggested that psychosocial factors were associated with psychological health. Patients with lower social support, lower meaning/peace and more negative coping reported greater depression; positive coping, and lower meaning/peace were associated with higher anxiety. Ethnicity stratified models suggested that spiritual well-being was associated with depression only among African Americans and QOL partially mediated this relationship. Findings suggest the importance of considering the unique psychosocial needs of diverse populations to appropriately target clinical interventions.

Spirituality in persons with heart failure

Tags:

• Adult
• Aged
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Faith Healing
• Female
• Heart Failure
• Humans
• Longitudinal Studies
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Quality of Life
• Questionnaires
• Religion and Medicine
• spirituality
• Time Factors

Notes:

• The authors examined the role spirituality plays in the lives of 58 people with heart failure being treated medically or by transplant. Instruments used included the Medical Outcome Survey Short Form 36 and Index of Well-Being measures of quality of life, the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, and the Relative Importance Scale. Combined spirituality scores predicted 24% of the variance in global quality of life. There were no significant gender differences in spiritual well-being or quality of life.

Spiritual well-being and depression in patients with heart failure

Tags:

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Depressive Disorder
• Female
• Heart Failure
• Humans
• Male
• Quality of Life
• Sickness Impact Profile
• spirituality

Notes:

• Objective: To identify the relationship between spiritual well-being and depression in patients with heart failure. Conclusions: Among outpatients with heart failure, greater spiritual well-being, particularly meaning/peace, was strongly associated with less depression.

Effect Of Rosary Prayer And Yoga Mantras On Autonomic Cardiovascular Rhythms: Comparative Study

Notes:

• This study investigated whether rhythmic formulas such as the rosary and yoga mantras can synchronise and reinforce inherent cardiovascular rhythms and modify baroreflex sensitivity. The authors conclude that rhythm formulas that involve breathing at six breaths per minute induce favourable psychological and possibly physiological effects.

Spirituality, religion, and clinical outcomes in patients recovering from an acute myocardial infarction

Tags:

• Depressive Disorder
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• mortality
• Myocardial Infarction
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
• Recurrence
• religion
• Risk
• social support
• spirituality
• Treatment Outcome
• United States

Notes:

• Objective: To assess the prospective relationship between spiritual experiences and health in a sample of patients surviving an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with depression or low social support. Conclusion: We found little evidence that self-reported spirituality, frequency of church attendance, or frequency of prayer is associated with cardiac morbidity or all-cause mortality post AMI in patients with depression and/or low perceived support.

An examination of the relationship between multiple dimensions of religiosity, blood pressure, and hypertension

Tags:

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Blood Pressure
• Chicago
• Female
• Humans
• Hypertension
• Logistic Models
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Religion and Medicine
• social support
• Socioeconomic Factors
• spirituality
• Stress, Psychological
• Young Adult

Notes:

• Researchers have established the role of heredity and lifestyle in the occurrence of hypertension, but the potential role of psychosocial factors, especially religiosity, is less understood. This paper analyzes the relationship between multiple dimensions of religiosity and systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and hypertension using data taken from the Chicago Community Adult Health Study, a probability sample of adults (N=3105) aged 18 and over living in the city of Chicago, USA. Of the primary religiosity variables examined here, attendance and public participation were not significantly related to the outcomes. Prayer was associated with an increased likelihood of hypertension, and spirituality was associated with increased diastolic blood pressure. The addition of several other religiosity variables to the models did not appear to affect these findings. However, variables for meaning and forgiveness were associated with lower diastolic blood pressure and a decreased likelihood of hypertension outcomes. These findings emphasize the importance of analyzing religiosity as a multidimensional phenomenon. This study should be regarded as a first step toward systematically analyzing a complex relationship.

An examination of the relationship between multiple dimensions of religiosity, blood pressure, and hypertension

Tags:

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Blood Pressure
• Chicago
• Female
• Humans
• Hypertension
• Logistic Models
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Religion and Medicine
• social support
• Socioeconomic Factors
• spirituality
• Stress, Psychological
• Young Adult

Notes:

• This paper analyzes the relationship between multiple dimensions of religiosity and systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and hypertension. Of the primary religiosity variables examined here, attendance and public participation were not significantly related to the outcomes. Prayer was associated with an increased likelihood of hypertension, and spirituality was associated with increased diastolic blood pressure.

A Model for Integrating a Mind/Body Approach to Cardiac Rehabilitation: Outcomes and Correlators

Tags:

• Cardiac rehabilitation
• Mind and body

Relaxation response and spirituality: Pathways to improve psychological outcomes in cardiac rehabilitation

Notes:

• A study to test the hypothesis that increased spiritual well-being by eliciting the relaxation response is one pathway resulting in improved psychological outcomes. The data demonstrated a possible dose-response relationship among relaxation relationship, spiritual and psychological well-being.

Relaxation training for essential hypertension at the worksite: I. The untreated mild hypertensive

Tags:

• Adult
• Aged
• Behavior Therapy
• Biofeedback (Psychology)
• Blood Pressure
• Female
• Humans
• Hypertension
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Occupational Diseases
• Relaxation Therapy
• Social Environment

Notes:

• This industry-based randomized study compared the effects of behavioral treatment (BT) and blood pressure monitoring (BPM) on blood pressure (BP) change in 158 unmedicated persons with mild hypertension (diastolic blood pressure 90 to 104 mm Hg). At 18 weeks into the study, after the BT groups completed training, both the BT and BPM groups showed significant reductions in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and DBP assessed in the company medical clinic.

Ecospirituality: the experience of environmental meditation in patients with cardiovascular disease

Notes:

• Ecospirituality provides a framework for exploring the spiritual dimension of person and environment and the dynamic interplay between this sacred dyad and human health. The aim of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the experience of environmental meditation by using a new, spirituality-based meditation intervention that focused on ecospirituality with patients with cardiovascular disease. A convenience sample of 6 women and 2 men with ages ranging from 42 to 64 years and a mean age of 57 years (SD = 8.33 years) participated in the study. From the 8 journals and the researchers' field notebooks, 85 significant phrases or sentences were extracted, transposed into formulated meanings, and later collapsed into 4 theme clusters: Entering a New Time Zone, Environmental Reawakening, Finding a New Rhythm, and Becoming a Healing Environment. The findings of this study provide beginning support for holistic nurses and other healthcare professionals to integrate the use of ecospirituality meditation into their care of patients with cardiovascular disease and the groundwork for further exploration of the spiritual dimension of person and environment.

Yoga therapy decreases dyspnea-related distress and improves functional performance in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a pilot study

Tags:

• Activities of Daily Living
• Aged
• Dyspnea
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Muscle Strength
• Pilot Projects
• Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
• Quality of Life
• Questionnaires
• Self Care
• Self Efficacy
• Severity of Illness Index
• Treatment Outcome
• yoga

Notes:

• The primary purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate a yoga program for its safety, feasibility, and efficacy for decreasing dyspnea intensity and dyspnea-related distress in older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.After the program, the subjects tolerated more activity with less dyspnea-related distress and improved their functional performance. These findings need to be confirmed in a larger, more sufficiently powered efficacy study.

Burden of cardiovascular risk factors, subclinical atherosclerosis, and incident cardiovascular events across dimensions of religiosity: The multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis

Notes:

• Religious involvement has been associated with improved health practices and outcomes; however, no ethnically diverse community-based study has examined differences in cardiac risk factors, subclinical cardiovascular disease, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events across levels of religiosity.The study included 5474 white, black, Hispanic, and Chinese participants who attended examination 2 of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). We compared cross-sectional differences in cardiac risk factors and subclinical CVD and longitudinal CVD event rates across self-reported levels of religious participation, prayer/meditation, and spirituality. Multivariable-adjusted regression models were fitted to assess associations of measures of religiosity with risk factors, subclinical CVD, and CVD events. MESA participants (52.4% female; mean age, 63) with greater levels of religious participation were more likely to be female and black. After adjustment for demographic covariates, participants who attended services daily, compared with never, were significantly more likely to be obese (adjusted odds ratio 1.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12 to 1.72) but less likely to smoke (adjusted odds ratio 0.39, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.58). Results were similar for those with frequent prayer/meditation or high levels of spirituality. There were no consistent patterns of association observed between measures of religiosity and presence/extent of subclinical CVD at baseline or incident CVD events during longitudinal follow-up in the course of 4 years. The results do not confirm those of previous studies associating greater religiosity with overall better health risks and status, at least with regard to CVD. There was no reduction in risk for CVD events associated with greater religiosity.

Daily spiritual experiences, systolic blood pressure, and hypertension among midlife women in SWAN

Tags:

• Adult
• African Americans
• Age Factors
• Blood Pressure
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• European Continental Ancestry Group
• Female
• Health Surveys
• Humans
• Hypertension
• Longitudinal Studies
• Middle Aged
• Models, Statistical
• spirituality
• Women's Health

Notes:

• There is reasonable evidence that religious beliefs and activities are associated with lower blood pressure and less hypertension. It is not known if daily spiritual experiences have similar effects. The study examined the relationship between an eight-item version of the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale (DSES) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and hypertension. With data from 1,060 Caucasian and 598 African-American midlife women participating in Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, in race-stratified models, the authors used regression equations, logistic regression, and mixed effects regression to estimate the relationship between DSES group and SBP and hypertensive status. The authors found little difference across DSES groups in adjusted mean SBP for either Caucasian or African-American women. Nor did DSES protect against 3-year increases in SBP, hypertensive status, or incident hypertension. Daily spiritual experiences do not appear protective for SBP or hypertension in midlife women. Further research should examine factors that condition the religion–BP relationship.

Frequency of church attendance and blood pressure elevation

Notes:

• Blood pressure levels were examined with regard to church attendance patterns in a group of white male heads of households who appeared in the 1967–1969 follow-up examination of the Evans County Cardiovascular Epidemiologic Study. A consistent pattern of lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures among frequent church attenders was found compared to that of infrequent attenders which was not due to the effects of age, obesity, cigarette smoking, or socioeconomic status.

Participant experiences of a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy group for cardiac rehabilitation

Tags:

• Adaptation, Psychological
• Aged
• Anxiety Disorders
• Awareness
• Cognitive Therapy
• Depressive Disorder
• Female
• Heart Diseases
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Mind-Body Relations (Metaphysics)
• Stress, Psychological
• Treatment Outcome

Notes:

• Recently there has been a growth of interest in mindfulness-based psychotherapeutic approaches across a range of medical problems. Cardiac rehabilitation patients often suffer from stress, worry, anxiety and depression, all of which can lead to poor prognosis and worsening of cardiac symptoms. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) of participant experiences, this study reports on the first known Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy group adapted for cardiac rehabilitation. Analysis identified the development of awareness, commitment, within group experiences, relating to the material and acceptance as central experiential themes. The use of the approach was supported for this population.

Clinical effect of qigong practice on essential hypertension: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Tags:

• Blood Pressure
• Breathing Exercises
• CONFIDENCE intervals
• Exercise
• Humans
• Hypertension
• Odds Ratio
• Patient Satisfaction
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
• Self Care
• Treatment Outcome

Notes:

• This study was designed to quantitatively assess the effectiveness of self-practiced qigong for treatment of essential hypertension. Conclusions: Self-practiced qigong for less than 1 year is better in decreasing BP in patients with essential hypertension than in no-treatment controls, but is not superior to that in active controls.

Illness cognitions as a pathway between religiousness and subjective health in chronic cardiac patients

Notes:

• The aim of this study was to examine the role of illness cognitions as a possible pathway between religiousness and subjective health in chronic illness. A sample of 135 chronic cardiac patients completed questionnaires about intrinsic religiousness, frequency of church service attendance, basic illness cognitions (i.e., helplessness, illness acceptance, perceived benefits), and physical and emotional well-being. According to the results, religiousness was significantly associated with subjective health. However, this relationship was indirect, with helplessness and illness acceptance serving as mediators between intrinsic religiousness and health. This finding is significant for understanding the complex relation of religiousness to chronic patients’ well-being.

Changes in spirituality and well-being in a retreat program for cardiac patients

Tags:

• Adaptation, Psychological
• Adult
• Aged
• Female
• Heart Diseases
• Humans
• Life Style
• Male
• Mental Healing
• Middle Aged
• Quality of Life
• Questionnaires
• Self-Help Groups
• spirituality
• Stress, Psychological
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome
• United States

Notes:

• Objective: To evaluate whether participation in a retreat program for cardiac patients and their partners resulted in changes in spirituality and whether changes in spirituality were related to changes in well-being meaning in life, anger, and confidence in handling problems. Conclusions: Programs that explore spirituality in a health context can result in increased spirituality that is associated with increased well-being and related measures.

A Study of the Unique Contribution of Spiritual Coping to Health-Related Quality of Life with Heart Failure

Notes:

• Research suggests that the heart failure (HF) population is particularly vulnerable to depression due to neurohormonal derangement and its psychological impact. HF patients with depression have been found to have more hospitalizations and poorer outcomes than those who are not depressed. The purpose of this study is to examine factors that predict health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults with heart failure. Its aims are (1) to examine level of religious/spiritual coping, spiritual distress, demoralization, depression and HRQoL among adults with heart failure, (2) to examine the relationships of religious/spiritual coping, spiritual distress demoralization, depression and selected demographic variables (age, gender, race/ethnicity and length of living with HF) with HRQoL. The tests revealed significant differences for positive religious/spiritual coping t(113) = 2.72, 95, 84, p < .05 by gender. Women reported lower mean HRQoL scores 58.86 (SD 26.59) than men 68.57 (SD 24.77); and used more positive religious coping 20.95 (SD 4.97) than men 18.05(SD 6.20) p < .05. Correlation analysis found depression and demoralization to be highly correlated (r = .801; p < .05). A significant negative relationship between depression and HRQoL (r = -.645, p < .001), demoralization (r = -507; p < .001) and spiritual distress (r = -.218; p < .05) was found. One-way ANOVA revealed no significant differences in KCCQ scores based upon the demographic variables. Trending towards statistical significance was found with Hispanics 21.26 (SD 5.04) who more likely to use positive religious/spiritual coping than non-Hispanic participants 17.96 (SD = 6.42, p = 0.54). Regression analysis indicate the overall model significantly predicted HRQOL R₂ = 0.424, F (4,110) = 20.267, p < . 001. Depression was the only variable that significantly contributed to the model. A holistic approach to managing HF patients should consider the varied human responses of stress and coping, and be culturally sensitive and gender appropriate.

The impact of religion on men's blood pressure

Notes:

• The present study examines the effect on blood pressure status of a religious meaning variable, importance of religion, both by itself and together with frequency of church attendance.

Heart Rate Variability during two Relaxation Techniques in Post-MI Men

Is religion therapeutically significant for hypertension?

Tags:

• Blood Pressure
• epidemiology
• Hypertension
• methodology
• religion

Notes:

• This review examines the implication that certain characteristics and functions of religion account for the association between religion and reduced hypertension and posits 12 possible explanations for this finding.

BOLD signal in insula is differentially related to cardiac function during compassion meditation in experts vs. novices

Tags:

• Adult
• Brain Mapping
• Cerebral Cortex
• Cerebrovascular Circulation
• Emotions
• Empathy
• Female
• Heart Rate
• Humans
• Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Meditation

Notes:

• The brain and the cardiovascular system influence each other during the processing of emotion. The study of the interactions of these systems during emotion regulation has been limited in human functional neuroimaging, despite its potential importance for physical health. We have previously reported that mental expertise in cultivation of compassion alters the activation of circuits linked with empathy and theory of mind in response to emotional stimuli. Guided by the finding that heart rate increases more during blocks of compassion meditation than neutral states, especially for experts, we examined the interaction between state (compassion vs. neutral) and group (novice, expert) on the relation between heart rate and BOLD signal during presentation of emotional sounds presented during each state. Our findings revealed that BOLD signal in the right middle insula showed a significant association with heart rate (HR) across state and group. This association was stronger in the left middle/posterior insula when experts were compared to novices. The positive coupling of HR and BOLD was higher within the compassion state than within the neutral state in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex for both groups, underlining the role of this region in the modulation of bodily arousal states. This state effect was stronger for experts than novices in somatosensory cortices and the right inferior parietal lobule (group by state interaction). These data confirm that compassion enhances the emotional and somatosensory brain representations of others' emotions, and that this effect is modulated by expertise. Future studies are needed to further investigate the impact of compassion training on these circuits.

CARDIOVASCULAR MORTALITY IN MORMONS AND NON-MORMONS IN UTAH, 1969-1971

Notes:

• This study analyzed the 6108 cardiovascular disease deaths between 1969-1971 in Utah of members in the Mormon Church. For both sexes, Mormons had 35% less mortality than expected from US rates for ischemic heart disease.

Ayurveda and yoga in cardiovascular diseases

Tags:

• Cardiovascular Diseases
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Medicine, Ayurvedic
• Phytotherapy
• Plant Extracts
• Prognosis
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
• Risk Assessment
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Severity of Illness Index
• Survival Rate
• Treatment Outcome
• yoga

Notes:

• Based on the review of available studies, the evidence is not convincing that any Ayurvedic herbal treatment is effective in the treatment of heart disease or hypertension. However, the use of certain spices and herbs such as garlic and turmeric in an overall healthy diet is appropriate. Yoga, an integral part of Ayurveda, has been shown to be useful to patients with heart disease and hypertension.

Effect of Slow- and Fast-Breathing Exercises on Autonomic Functions in Patients with Essential Hypertension

Role of naturopathy and yoga treatment in the management of hypertension

Tags:

• Hypertension
• Naturopathy
• Non-pharmacological therapy
• yoga

Notes:

• A study conducted by INYS medical research society in Jindal Nature Cure Institute, Bangalore on the effects of naturopathy and yoga interventions in treatment of mild to moderate hypertension.

Feasibility and effectiveness of a brief meditation-based stress management intervention for patients diagnosed with or at risk for coronary heart disease: a pilot study

Notes:

• Extensive research has led to the development of a psychobiological model of cardiovascular disease. This model suggests that psychological factors such as depression, anxiety, hostility, and stress may affect the development and progression of coronary heart disease (CHD). Recent studies have also demonstrated that meditation-based stress reduction programs are useful interventions for patients with various medical and psychological symptoms. The objective of this pilot study was to gather preliminary information regarding the feasibility of implementing a brief meditation-based stress management (MBSM) program for patients with CHD, and those at high risk for CHD, at a major metropolitan hospital that serves a predominately non-local patient population. The secondary aim of this study was to investigate the possibility that such an intervention might reduce depression, as well as perceived stress, anxiety, and hostility, while improving general health scores. The overall feasibility results indicate that this MBSM intervention was highly feasible with regard to both recruitment and retention of participants. In fact, 40% of patients requested further training. In addition, after completion of the 4-week intervention, participants reported significant reductions in depression and perceived stress. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that the brief meditation-based stress management program was well-received by patients and can successfully be used as a supportive program for patients at risk or diagnosed with CHD.

Effect of yogic practices on lipid profile and body fat composition in patients of coronary artery disease

Notes:

• To observe the effect of regular yogic practices and self-discipline in reducing body fat and elevated lipids in CAD patients.

Efficacy and tolerability of yoga breathing in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a pilot study

Tags:

• Aged
• Breathing Exercises
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Oxygen
• Pilot Projects
• Plethysmography
• Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
• Respiratory Function Tests
• yoga

Immediate effect of slow pace bhastrika pranayama on blood pressure and heart rate

Tags:

• Adult
• Autonomic Nervous System
• Blood Pressure
• Breathing Exercises
• Female
• Forced Expiratory Volume
• Heart Rate
• Humans
• Male
• Reference Values
• Relaxation Therapy
• Vital Capacity
• yoga

Notes:

• The objective of this study was to evaluate the immediate effect of slow pace bhastrika pranayama (respiratory rate 6/min) for 5 minutes on heart rate and blood pressure and the effect of the same breathing exercise for the same duration of time (5 minutes) following oral intake of hyoscine-N-butylbromide (Buscopan), a parasympathetic blocker drug. Results showed that Vagal cardiac and pulmonary mechanisms are linked, and improvement in one vagal limb might spill over into the other. Baroreceptor sensitivity can be enhanced significantly by slow breathing (supported by a small reduction in the heart rate observed during slow breathing and by reduction in both systolic and diastolic pressure). Slow pace bhastrika pranayama (respiratory rate 6/min) exercise thus shows a strong tendency to improving the autonomic nervous system through enhanced activation of the parasympathetic system.

Bypass surgery with psychological and spiritual support (the By.pass study): Study design and research methods

Notes:

• The By.pass study is the first controlled trial systematically examining the effects of either psychological or spiritual support considering patient's preference and preoperative psychosocial risk on recovery after coronary bypass surgery.

Meditation training and essential hypertension: A methodological study

Notes:

• This study investigates the effects of mantra-based vs. non-mantra-based meditation on hypertension.

The Support, Education, and Research in Chronic Heart Failure Study (SEARCH): a mindfulness-based psychoeducational intervention improves depression and clinical symptoms in patients with chronic heart failure

Tags:

• Chronic Disease
• depression
• Female
• Heart Failure
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Patient Education as Topic
• Prospective Studies
• Psychotherapy
• Stress, Psychological

Notes:

• The Support, Education, and Research in Chronic Heart Failure (SEARCH) study was designed to assess the impact of a mindfulness-based psychoeducational intervention on clinical outcomes, depression, and quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Although research has shown that psychosocial factors including depression are important risk factors for adverse events in patients with CHF, no large clinical trials have investigated the efficacy of psychosocial interventions to reduce these factors in this population.

Heart rate variability changes during high frequency yoga breathing and breath awareness

Notes:

• A study on the Pre and post comparison after one minute of high frequency yoga breathing (HFYB) suggested that the HFYB modifies the autonomic status by increasing sympathetic modulation, but its effect during the practice was not assessed. Thirty-eight male volunteers with group average age ± S.D., 23.3 ± 4.4 years were each assessed on two separate days in two sessions, (i) HFYB and (ii) breath awareness. Each session was for 35 minutes, with 3 periods, i.e., pre (5 minutes), during HFYB or breath awareness (15 minutes) and post (5 minutes). Results showed that there was a significant decrease in NN50, pNN50 and the mean RR interval during and after HFYB and after breath awareness, compared to the respective 'pre' values (p < 0.05) (repeated measures ANOVA followed by post-hoc analysis). The LF power increased and HF power decreased during and after breath awareness and LF/HF ratio increased after breath awareness (p < 0.05). The results suggest that there was reduced parasympathetic modulation during and after HFYB and increased sympathetic modulation with reduced parasympathetic modulation during and after breath awareness.

Existential well-being predicts perceived control in adults with heart failure

Tags:

• Adaptation, Psychological
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Attitude to Health
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Female
• Heart Failure
• Holistic Nursing
• Humans
• Linear Models
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Multivariate Analysis
• Power (Psychology)
• Predictive Value of Tests
• Questionnaires
• Social Behavior
• spirituality

Notes:

• This study examined the relationship between spiritual well-being (SWB) and perceived control (PC) in adult patients with heart failure (HF).

Tai chi exercise in patients with chronic heart failure: a randomized clinical trial

Notes:

• This study aimed to investigate whether tai chi, as an adjunct to standard care, improves functional capacity and quality of life in patients with heart failure.