High blood pressure: exercise helps, yoga doesn't
Luise Heine has been an editor at since 2012. The qualified biologist studied in Regensburg and Brisbane (Australia) and gained experience as a journalist in television, in the Ratgeber-Verlag and in a print magazine. In addition to her work at , she also writes for children, for example for the Stuttgarter Kinderzeitung, and has her own breakfast blog, “Kuchen zum Frühstück”.
More posts by Luise Heine All content is checked by medical journalists.MunichNot every patient with high blood pressure wants to take medication. Some of them don't even tolerate them. Experts from the American Heart Association (AHA) are now giving these sufferers hope: Alternative therapeutic approaches could also lower blood pressure, according to a comparative study. The effectiveness varies, however, and drugs cannot be completely dispensed with.
"A common question people ask is, I don't want to take pills, what else can I do to reduce my high blood pressure?" Said Robert D. Brook of the University of Michigan. He and his colleagues wanted to be able to give those affected an answer in the future. To do this, they looked at the data from 1000 studies published between 2006 and 2011.
No side effects
The researchers divided the alternative therapeutic approaches into three groups. The first comprised physical activities (e.g. aerobics), the second behavioral therapies (e.g. meditation) and the third so-called non-invasive methods (e.g. acupuncture). Result: The alternative therapies almost never caused undesirable side effects or risk effects. However, some methods have been shown to be more effective than others.
Muscle tension exercises help against high blood pressure
Physical activity was therefore the most effective way of lowering blood pressure. This includes running, weight training and - surprisingly for the researchers - so-called isometric exercises. Muscles are tensed and relaxed again without moving the joints. Through these exercises, the high blood pressure could be reduced by up to ten percent. However, the method is not recommended for people with levels of 180/110 nm Hg or higher.
Certain breathing techniques also helped lower high blood pressure when performed regularly in 15-minute sessions three to four times a week.
Effectiveness of yoga and Co. not proven
Behavioral therapies such as biofeedback or transcendental meditation, on the other hand, showed only a minor effect. No statements could be made for other forms of meditation; there was insufficient data on this. According to the researchers, there is also a lack of sufficient scientific evidence for the effectiveness of yoga and other relaxation methods, as well as acupuncture for high blood pressure.
Medicines against high blood pressure cannot be replaced
"The alternative approaches reduce blood pressure by 2 to 10 mm Hg, while drugs reduce it by 10 to 15 mm Hg," says Brook. Therefore, these forms of therapy could only be used in addition to drugs. They could be combined with other tried and tested measures such as losing weight, quitting smoking, eating a low-salt diet or consuming little alcohol.
High blood pressure is considered a risk factor for many cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes. It affects 26 percent of people worldwide. According to statistics, the increased pressure in the vessels is responsible for 13 percent of premature deaths. (lh)
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