Key result
Device-guided slow breathing with biofeedback linked to ~5 mmHg lower SBP from baseline.
Why the study?
The study was designed to test whether acute changes in pulse arrival time from device-guided slow breathing are reproducible over 1 week and how they translate into absolute self-measured blood pressure changes.
Does device-guided slow breathing with biofeedback improve pulse arrival time and reduce self-measured blood pressure in patients with elevated blood pressure or treated hypertension?
Observational (n=44)
No
Does device-guided slow breathing with biofeedback improve pulse arrival time and reduce self-measured blood pressure in patients with elevated blood pressure or treated hypertension?
Device-guided slow breathing with biofeedback acutely and reproducibly reduces systolic blood pressure and increases pulse arrival time over a 5-day period.
May support acute BP self-management in hypertension; leaves open efficacy confirmation in randomized trials.
BACKGROUND: There isevidence that device-guided slow breathing using biofeedback acutely reduces blood pressure (BP) and pulse wave velocity [i.e. increased pulse arrival time (PAT)]. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study presented here were to test whether the results of changes observed in PAT in earlier studies are reproducible over 1 week and how changes in pulse wave velocity/PAT translate into absolute self-measured BP changes. METHODS: Patients with a systolic BP 130-160 mmHg or treated essential hypertension (21 females/23 males) were trained to perform unattended device-guided slow breathing exercises for 10 min daily over 5 days. Furthermore, they were skilled to perform self-measurement of BP before and after the breathing exercise using a validated upper-arm device. RESULTS: Office BP at screening [median (1, 3. Q)] was 137 (132, 142)/83 (79, 87) mmHg. We observed a significant ( P < 0.05) increase in PAT of 5 ms (SD 12.5 ms) on average after 10 min of guided breathing and an additional 1 ms ( P < 0.05, SD 8 ms) during the following 5 min of spontaneous breathing compared to baseline. PAT before the exercise remained constant over 5 days paralleled by constant self-measured BP before the exercise. Device-guided breathing was associated with a significant reduction of self-measured SBP of 5 mmHg ( P < 0.01, SD 8 mmHg). Data furthermore demonstrated that these changes were highly reproducible over 1 week. CONCLUSIONS: Device-guided slow breathing and biofeedback lead to reproducible and favorable changes (increase) in PAT and SBP (decrease).
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Mengden et al. (2022) conducted an observational in High normal or grade I hypertension or treated essential hypertension (n=44). Device-guided slow breathing with biofeedback vs. Baseline was evaluated on Reduction in self-measured systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p=<0.01). Device-guided slow breathing with biofeedback significantly increased pulse arrival time by 5 ms and reduced self-measured systolic blood pressure by 5 mmHg compared to baseline.
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