Abstract:
Background:Breathing exercise has been well received alternative intervention to lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension and prehypertension. However, the efficiency between slow breathing exercise and diaphragmatic breathing exercise in patients with prehypertension remain inconclusive.Objectives:To compare the efficiency between slow breathing and diaphragmatic breathing techniques in lowering blood pressure in patients with prehypertension.Methods:This study was Quasi-experimental design with double blind control trial. Twenty-seven subjects (ages 18-22 years) with pre-hypertension (SBP: 120-139 mmHg; DBP: 80-89 mmHg) were divided into three intervention groups; slow breathingat 6 beat per minute (n=9), diaphragmatic breathing at 6 beat per minute (n=9) and control (n=9) groups. We evaluated the changes of all non-invasive blood pressure parameters; systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), pulse pressure (PP), and Srithanya stress scale (ST-5) after acute phase and two weeks of breathing training.Results:SBP in diaphragmatic breathing group was lower than in control group both acute phase (p = 0.02) and after two weeks of training (p = 0.006). No statistically differences in other parameters were found in diaphragmatic and slow breathing groups compared to control group.Conclusion:Diaphragmatic breathing is more effective in lowering SBP than in slow breathing exercise in pre-hypertensive subjects aged 18-22 years old in both acute phase and after two weeks of training.