Integrative Medicine Insights

Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether yoga training in addition to standard medical therapy can improve cardiac function and reduce N terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT pro BNP) in heart failure (HF).

Methods: 130 patients were recruited and randomized into two groups: Control Group (CG) (n = 65), Yoga Group (YG). In YG, 44 patients and in CG, 48 patients completed the study. Cardiac function using left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), myocardial performance index (Tei index), and NT pro BNP, a biomarker of HF, was assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks.

Result: Improvement in LVEF, Tei index, and NT pro BNP were statistically significant in both the groups. Furthermore, when the changes in before and after 12 weeks were in percentage, LVEF increased 36.88% in the YG and 16.9% in the CG, Tei index was reduced 27.87% in the YG and 2.79% in the CG, NT pro BNP was reduced 63.75% in the YG and 10.77% in the CG. The between group comparisons from pre to post 12 weeks were significant for YG improvements (LVEF, P < 0.01, Tei index, P < 0.01, NT pro BNP, P < 0.01).

Conclusion: These results indicate that the addition of yoga therapy to standard medical therapy for HF patients has a markedly better effect on cardiac function and reduced myocardial stress measured using NT pro BNP in patients with stable HF.