ArticleMedicine2018
Effects of slow breathing rate on heart rate variability and arterial baroreflex sensitivity in essential hypertension.
Article in Medicine, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers.
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Who cites it
31 citing papers in PubMed, 91 citations in OpenAlex.
- Post-Exercise Controlled Breathing Enhances Cardiovascular Recovery and Autonomic Balance: A Randomised Crossover Study.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Trial
- Therapeutic Effects of Slow Deep Breathing on Cardiopulmonary Function, Physical Performance, Biochemical Parameters, and Stress in Older Adult Patients with Long COVID in Phayao, Thailand.Annals of geriatric medicine and research · 2025Trial
- Trial
- Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal.Cell reports. Medicine · 2023Trial
- Investigating components of pranayama for effects on heart rate variability.Journal of psychosomatic research · 2021Trial
- Methodological Aspects of Slow-Paced Breathing in Healthy Young Individuals with Optimal and Suboptimal Spirometric Indices.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Recalibrating stress regulation through mindfulness: a framework for adapting interventions for ACE-affected populations.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- The effect of slow breathing on cardiovascular and electromyographic responses during standing perturbations in older adults.European journal of ageing · 2025Article
- Impact of Loneliness on Training Gains with Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback in the Elderly: A Pilot Study.Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback · 2024Article
- Effect of breathing exercises on blood pressure and heart rate: A systematic review and meta-analysis.International journal of cardiology. Cardiovascular risk and prevention · 2024Article
- Acute effects of the 4-4-8 breathing technique on arterial stiffness in healthy young men.Cardiology journal · 2024Article
- Peculiarities of cardio-respiratory relationships in qualified athletes with different types of heart rhythm regulation according to respiratory maneuver data.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2024Article
- Clinical Value of Using Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Before Elective CT Coronary Angiography to Reduce Heart Rate and the Need for Beta-Blockers.Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback · 2023Article
- Breathing Practices for Stress and Anxiety Reduction: Conceptual Framework of Implementation Guidelines Based on a Systematic Review of the Published Literature.Brain sciences · 2023Review
- A Serious Game to Self-Regulate Heart Rate Variability as a Technique to Manage Arousal Level Through Cardiorespiratory Biofeedback: Development and Pilot Evaluation Study.JMIR serious games · 2023Article
- Induced Relaxation Enhances the Cardiorespiratory Dynamics in COVID-19 Survivors.Entropy (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Breathing exercise for hypertensive patients: A scoping review.Frontiers in physiology · 2023Article
- Cardiorespiratory dynamics during respiratory maneuver in athletes.Frontiers in network physiology · 2023Article
- Combined effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation and 0.1 Hz slow-paced breathing on working memory.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2023Article
- Mindful breathing as an effective technique in the management of hypertension.Frontiers in physiology · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
This study is to investigate the effects of slow breathing on heart rate variability (HRV) and arterial baroreflex sensitivity in essential hypertension.We studied 60 patients with essential hypertension and 60 healthy controls. All subjects underwent controlled breathing at 8 and 16 breaths per minute. Electrocardiogram, respiratory, and blood pressure signals were recorded simultaneously. We studied effects of slow breathing on heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory peak, high-frequency (HF) power, low-frequency (LF) power, and LF/HF ratio of HRV with traditional and corrected spectral analysis. Besides, we tested whether slow breathing was capable of modifying baroreflex sensitivity in hypertensive subjects.Slow breathing, compared with 16 breaths per minute, decreased the heart rate and blood pressure (all P < .05), and shifted respiratory peak toward left (P < .05). Compared to 16 breaths/minute, traditional spectral analysis showed increased LF power and LF/HF ratio, decreased HF power of HRV at 8 breaths per minute (P < .05). As breathing rate decreased, corrected spectral analysis showed increased HF power, decreased LF power, LF/HF ratio of HRV (P < .05). Compared to controls, resting baroreflex sensitivity decreased in hypertensive subjects. Slow breathing increased baroreflex sensitivity in hypertensive subjects (from 59.48 ± 6.39 to 78.93 ± 5.04 ms/mm Hg, P < .05) and controls (from 88.49 ± 6.01 to 112.91 ± 7.29 ms/mm Hg, P < .05).Slow breathing can increase HF power and decrease LF power and LF/HF ratio in essential hypertension. Besides, slow breathing increased baroreflex sensitivity in hypertensive subjects. These demonstrate slow breathing is indeed capable of shifting sympatho-vagal balance toward vagal activities and increasing baroreflex sensitivity, suggesting a safe, therapeutic approach for essential hypertension.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.