Impact of yoga and group exercise on quality of life for people living with heart failure

Background/Aims There is a direct correlation between depression and anxiety, quality of life, and heart failure, therefore methods of empowering people with their rehabilitation are needed in the community for long-term health. This study aimed to discover the effects of yoga on quality of life for people with heart failure when used in conjunction with rehabilitation group exercise in the community. Methods Four databases were reviewed using key search terms to discover 67 potential articles. Once the inclusion/exclusion criteria were met, four appropriate articles were reviewed. Results Two systematic reviews, one randomised controlled study and one nonrandomised controlled study suggested that practicing yoga led to improvements in exercise capacity, depression, anxiety and fatigue, blood pressure, heart rate, heart rate variability, B-type natriuretic peptide, tei Index, autonomic nervous system function, and left ventricular ejection fraction. Quality of life was slightly improved. Conclusions There is promising evidence to support the use of yoga for physiological functions, and slight improvements to quality of life. Further research is needed to understand the best application of and effectiveness of yoga practices.