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A recent study held at a tertiary care center in South India regarding the long-term effects of yoga therapy on heart failure patients has revealed that doing yoga improves physical well-being and left ventricular function among the patients. 

Heart failure occurs when the heart muscle is either too frail or too stiff to effectively pump blood, leading to fluid retention, shortness of breath, and other problems. The 35 patients (31 males and 4 women) chosen for the study were between 30 and 70 years old with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 45 percent. 

 

The group received yoga therapy alongside the standard guideline-directed medical care. Participants were made to do select yoga therapy like pranayama, meditation, and relaxation techniques. Each session lasted around 60 minutes. The group was advised to perform yoga at least five days a week for 12 months. 

At both the six-month and 12-month follow-ups, improved biventricular systolic function was witnessed among the patients. They exhibited substantial improvement in the functional outcomes. Also, the group showed improvement in endurance, strength, balance, symptom stability, and overall quality of life. 

"It proved that the addition of yoga therapy to standard medical management can lead to an improvement in left ventricular systolic function and quality of life among patients," said Ajit Singh. 

Ajit Singh, Ph.D., a research scientist for the Indian Council for Medical Research at Kasturba Medical College & Hospital, Manipal Academy of Heart Education in Manipal, India, is the study’s lead author.

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