EFFECT OF YOGIC LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION ON ANGINAL EPISODES IN CAD PATIENTS

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There has been an alarming increase in the prevalence of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) worldwide and is a leading cause of mortality in India. Yoga is emerging as a signicant tool in managing the disease. OBJECTIVES:The study was conducted to nd out the effect of yogic lifestyle modication on anginal episodes in CAD patients. METHODS: This prospective, controlled study included the CAD patients between the ages 30 to 70 years who were randomised to yoga group (group A, n=51) and control group (group B, n=51). They were assessed clinically on the basis of number of anginal episodes per week. The yoga group patients were prescribed a family based yoga programme in addition to the conventional drug treatment for CAD. The control group received conventional drug therapy alone. The patients were assessed at baseline and thereafter, at the end of 6 months. RESULTS: The number of anginal episodes per week reduced signicantly by 25.40% in the yoga group vis-à-vis the control group at the end of six months (independent t-test p-value<0.01). It was also inferred from the study that while at baseline, there was no statistically signicant difference between the yoga and control groups (independent t-test p-value>0.05), the difference became signicant at the end of six months (independent t-test p-value<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, we witnessed a substantial and signicant effect of yogic lifestyle intervention in decreasing the number of anginal episodes per week in CAD patients thereby reducing the morbidity associated with the disease considerably