Mindfulness with paced breathing and lowering blood pressure

Date:
September 9, 2020
Source:
Florida Atlantic University
Summary:
Now more than ever, Americans and people all over the world are
under increased stress, which may adversely affect their health
and well-being.

Researchers explore the possibility that mindfulness with paced
breathing reduces blood pressure. One of the most plausible
mechanisms is that paced breathing stimulates the vagus nerve and
parasympathetic nervous system, which reduce stress chemicals
in the brain and increase vascular relaxation that may lead to
lowering of blood pressure.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== According to the American Stroke Association (ASA) and the American
Heart Association (AHA), more than 100 million Americans have high
blood pressure.

Elevated blood pressure is a major avoidable cause of premature morbidity
and mortality in the United States and worldwide due primarily to
increased risks of stroke and heart attacks. Elevated blood pressure is
the most important major and modifiable risk factor to reduce stroke. In
fact, small but sustained reductions in blood pressure reduce risks of
stroke and heart attacks.

Therapeutic lifestyle changes of weight loss and salt reduction as well
as adjunctive drug therapies are beneficial to treat and prevent high
blood pressure.


========================================================================== Mindfulness is increasingly practiced as a technique to reduce stress
through mind and body interactions. In some instances, mindfulness
includes paced breathing defined as deep and diaphragmatic with slow
rates typically about five to seven per minute compared with the usual
rate of 12 to 14. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University's Schmidt College of Medicine and collaborators have published a paper in the
journal Medical Hypotheses, exploring the possibility that mindfulness
with paced breathing reduces blood pressure.

"One of the most plausible mechanisms is that paced breathing stimulates
the vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system, which reduce
stress chemicals in the brain and increase vascular relaxation that
may lead to lowering of blood pressure," said Suzanne LeBlang, M.D.,
a neuroradiologist, second and corresponding author, and an affiliate
associate professor in FAU's Schmidt College of Medicine.

The researchers believe the hypothesis they have formulated that
mindfulness with paced breathing reduces blood pressure should be
tested. To do so, FAU's Schmidt College of Medicine co-authors are
already collaborating with their co- authors from the Marcus Neuroscience Institute, Boca Raton Regional Hospital/ Baptist Health South; and
the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health on
an investigator-initiated research grant proposal to the National
Institutes of Health. The initial pilot trial would include obtaining
informed consent from willing and eligible subjects and assigning them
at random to mindfulness either with or without paced breathing and
examining whether there are sustained effects on lowering blood pressure.

"This pilot randomized trial might lead to further randomized trials
of intermediate markers such as inhibition of progression of carotid
intimal thickening or coronary artery atherosclerosis, and subsequently,
a large scale trial to reduce stroke and heart attacks," said Charles
H. Hennekens, M.D., Dr.PH, senior author, first Sir Richard Doll
Professor and senior academic advisor in FAU's Schmidt College of
Medicine. "Achieving sustained reductions in blood pressure of 4 to 5 millimeters of mercury decreases risk of stroke by 42 percent and heart
attacks by about 17 percent; so positive findings would have important
clinical and policy implications." According to the ASA and AHA, cardiovascular disease (CVD), principally heart attacks and strokes,
accounts for more than 800,000 deaths or 40 percent of total mortality in
the U.S. each year and more than 17 million deaths worldwide. In the U.S.,
CVD is projected to remain the single leading cause of mortality and is
rapidly becoming so worldwide. Stroke alone ranks fifth in all-cause
mortality in the U.S., killing nearly 133,000 people annually as well
as more than 11 percent of the population worldwide.

"Now more than ever, Americans and people all over the world are under increased stress, which may adversely affect their health and well-being,"
said Barbara Schmidt, co-author, teacher, researcher, philanthropist, bestselling author of "The Practice," as well as an adjunct instructor at
FAU's Schmidt College of Medicine. "We know that mindfulness decreases
stress and I am cautiously optimistic that mindfulness with paced
breathing will produce sustained lowering of blood pressure."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Florida_Atlantic_University. Original written by Gisele Galoustian. Note: Content may be edited for style
and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Jacqueline Brenner, Suzanne LeBlang, Michelle Lizotte-Waniewski,
Barbara
Schmidt, Patricio S. Espinosa, David L. DeMets, Andrew Newberg,
Charles H. Hennekens. Mindfulness with paced breathing reduces
blood pressure.

Medical Hypotheses, 2020; 142: 109780 DOI:
10.1016/j.mehy.2020.109780 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200909100214.htm

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