Combined Effects of Alternate Nostril Breathing and Aerobic Interval Training on Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Products in Patients With Hypertension

Summary

Hypertension (HTN) is the foremost preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality, contributing to over 7 million deaths annually within the nearly 17 million attributed to CVD. Effective management through lifestyle modifications, including aerobic exercises specifically interval training presents a promising avenue for blood pressure regulation by promoting vasodilation and regulating the autonomic nervous system. Likewise, alternate nostril breathing has demonstrated efficacy in lowering blood pressure by optimizing oxygenation and improving endothelial function but their combined effect on BP measures is yet to be determined. Hence this study aims to determine the combined effects of aerobic interval training with and without alternate nostril breathing on blood pressure, rate pressure product and quality of life in patients with hypertension.

Conditions

• Hypertension (HTN)

Interventions

OTHER

Experimental Group

The interventional group will perform aerobic training (stationary cycling) 3 days a week for 5 weeks, starting with 40-60% heart rate reserve (HRR) for 20-30 minutes, with thein the first week and increasing to 40-85% HRR, maintaining a target heart rate of 40-60% HRR at the lower end and 75-85% HRR at the upper end, following a 1:4 work-to-rest ratio for 30-40 minutes in subsequent weeks, with the warm up of 5 mins before the session and a cool down of 5-7 mins after every seasion. Exercise heart rate will be calculated using the Karvonen formula for the base line week and the following weeks.Following each aerobic session, they'll practice Alternate Nostril Breathing (ANB), beginning with 5 minutes in the first week and progressing to 10 minutes thereafter. ANB involves specific hand positioning and breathing techniques to promote relaxation and balance. All sessions will be supervised by a physiotherapist.

OTHER

interventional group A

In interventional group 'A' participants will perform aerobic training for 3 days a week for 30-40 minutes a day for 5 consecutive weeks. Exercise heart rate will be calculated using the Karvonen formula. For the first base line week the aerobic session begins with a 5-minute warm-up. The primary cardiovascular component involves using a cycle ergometer (stationary cycling) at an intensity of 40-60% heart rate reserve (HRR) for 20-30 minutes. Finally, the workout will concludes with a cool-down phase lasting 5-7 minutes, allowing the heart rate to gradually return to baseline and preventing post-exercise hypotension. From the second week onwards, the aerobic training session will begin with a 5-minute warm-up to prepare the body and gradually increase heart rate. The main workout involves a cycle ergometer, maintaining a target heart rate of 40-60% HRR at the lower end and 75-85% HRR at the upper end, following a 1:4 work-to-rest ratio for 30-40 minutes. The session ends with a 5-7 min

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Foundation University Islamabad

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

25 Years

Max Age

50 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-01-15

Primary Completion

2026-01-15

Completion

2026-02-15

Countries

• Pakistan

Study Locations