SynthesisPloS one2025
A systematic review and meta-analysis of yoga for arterial hypertension.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The effect of yogic breathing (Pranayama) on heart rate and blood pressure in patients with hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Indian heart journalPooled it
- Integrating Chair Yoga and Manual Therapy Into Hypertension Management: Effects on Autonomic Regulation, Muscle Viscoelasticity, and Mental Well-Being.Journal of clinical hypertension (Greenwich, Conn.) · 2026Trial
- Effect of interventions for stress management on blood pressure changes in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of human hypertension · 2026Review
- Yoga and Mindfulness-Based Rehabilitation After Myocardial Infarction: A Systematic Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Frequency and Dosage of Yoga Practice for Maintaining Optimal Physical and Mental Health.International journal of yogaArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThis systematic review and meta-analysis is an update to prior research to evaluate the effects of yoga for managing prehypertension and hypertension.
methodsMedline/PubMed, Scopus and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched from their inception until April 5th 2024. Randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) that compared yoga to any control intervention in participants with diagnosed prehypertension (120-139/80-89 mmHg) or hypertension (≥140/ ≥ 90mmHg) were included. Mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Risk of Bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool.
results30 RCTs with 2283 participants were included. Very low quality of evidence was found for positive effects of yoga on systolic blood pressure (SBP, 26 RCTs, n = 2007; MD = -7.95 mmHg, 95% CI = -10.24 to -5.66, p < 0.01), diastolic blood pressure (DBP, 23 RCTs, n = 1836; MD = -4.93 mmHg, 95% CI = -6.25 to -3.60, p < 0.01) and heart rate (HR, 14 RCTs, n = 1118; MD = -4.43 mmHg, 95% CI = -7.36 to -1.50, p < 0.01) compared to waitlist control. Compared to active control, very low quality of evidence was found for positive effects yoga on SBP (5 RCTs, n = 306; MD = -4.16 mmHg, 95%CI = -10.76 to 2.44, p = 0.22), DBP (5 RCTs, n = 306; MD = -1.88 mmHg, 95%CI = -3.41 to -0.36, p = 0.02) and HR (2 RCT, n = 128; MD = -5.16 mmHg, 95% CI = -8.39 to -1.92, p < 0.01). Overall, the studies showed a high degree of heterogeneity. The effects found were robust against selection, detection and attrition bias.
conclusionYoga may be an option for lowering blood pressure in people with prehypertension to hypertension. More and larger high-quality studies are needed to substantiate our findings.
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