Effect of yoga on cardiovascular system in subjects above 40 years.

This study was conducted to examine the effect of yoga on cardiovascular function in subjects above 40 yrs of age. Pulse rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and Valsalva ratio were studied in 50 control subjects (not doing any type of physical exercise) and 50 study subjects who had been practicing yoga for 5 years. From the study it was observed that significant reduction in the pulse rate occurs in subjects practicing yoga (P<0.001). The difference in the mean values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure between study group and control group was also statistically significant (P<0.01 and P<0.001 respectively). The systolic and diastolic blood pressure showed significant positive correlation with age in the study group (r1 systolic= 0.631 and r1 diastolic = 0.610) as well as in the control group (r2 systolic = 0.981 and r2 diastolic = 0.864). The significance of difference between correlation coefficient of both the groups was also tested with the use of Z transformation and the difference was significant (Z systolic= 4.041 and Z diastolic= 2.901). Valsalva ratio was also found to be significantly higher in yoga practitioners than in controls (P<0.001). Our results indicate that yoga reduces the age related deterioration in cardiovascular functions.

An epidemiological study of pulmonary function tests in geriatric population of central India.

We have studied Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) namely Vital Capacity (VC). Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), and Forced Expiratory Volume in First Second (FEV1). Forced Expiratory Flow(FEF 25-50%) in 1200 elderly subjects above 60 years of age of which 570 were females and 630 males. Mean age was 69.22 +/- 5.57 years in males and 68.77 +/- 5.44 in females. The mean value of ventilatory parameters were as follows-1) VC 2.99 +/- 0.5 lt in males and 1.89 +/- 0.29 lt in females. 2) FVC 2.69 +/- 0.58 lt. in males and 1.76 +/- 0.21 lt in females. 3) FEV1/FVC% 83.82 +/- 10.62% in males and 83.37 +/- 11.93% in females. 4) FEF 25-75% was 2.81 +/- 1.20 lt/sec in males and 2.13 +/- 1.27 lt/sec. Physical as well as ventilatory parameters were less in females than for males. The correlation of age with VC and FEV1 was highly significant (P < 0.01) but with FVC was not significant (P > 0.05). The correlation of height, weight and body surface area was not significant with any ventilatory parameter (P > 0.05). Multiple regression equations for VC, FVC and FEV1 were formulated for males and females taking height and age as variables. The predicted values correlated excellently with observed values.