Yoga for a Healthy Heart

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The Yoga for a Healthy Heart study will address various barriers to both medication management and blood pressure regulation for African American patients with hypertension.

Detailed Description
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The program will take place in person at South Pointe's hospital community outreach center. The program will be an 8-week program, once per week, 60 minutes in length, consisting of meditation, or relaxation, pranayama which are breathing techniques and asana, or physical postures. Yoga, is defined as the fluctuations or roaming tendencies of the mind according the Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. In addition to therapeutic yoga techniques, lifestyle management will be discussed or self-reflections written in journals. Lifestyle management skills include learning how to take blood pressure and manage a pillbox, as well as develop prosocial communication skills through lessons on mindful communication. The classes will be taught in person. The instructor facilitating the program will be a skilled healthcare professional certified in both Occupational Therapy and Yoga teaching at the 500-hour level. The Occupational Therapist will provide both skilled assessments and interventions in the group setting of the community health class. Assessments include: 1. Perceived Stress Scale 2. Canadian Occupational Performance Measurement 3. Mini and Medi-Cog 4. Blood pressure assessments pre and post class. .

Official Title
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Yoga for a Healthy Heart Study: Addressing Stress Management and Functional Cognition as Barriers to Both Medication Management and Blood Pressure Regulation for African American Patients With Hypertension

Conditions
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Hypertension

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Therapeutic yoga


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Over 18 has transportation to South Pointe Hospital Has the ability to walk, or use a wheelchair from the entrance of the building Able to attend all 8 sessions Diagnosis of hypertension African American Prescribed antihypertensive medication Able to stand up from the chair independently Able to walk to the bathroom independently with or without a device Approved by cardiologist to participate Exclusion Criteria: Unable to tolerate sitting for 1 hour BP over 200/100 Unable to independently walk or use a wheelchair to the bathroom

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 99 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Single cohort
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Yoga participant<br>Providing once weekly class for 8 weeks, participants will take part in performing yoga poses and yoga breathing and meditation for stress management | Behavioral: Therapeutic yoga<br>* Yoga interventions include yoga poses, breathing, and meditation<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Blood pressure | take both systolic and diastolic blood pressure before and after intervention each class and from beginning of session to end of 8 week session | 8 weeks | 
| Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) | Scores ranging from 0-13 would be considered low stress. Scores ranging from 14-26 would be considered moderate stress. Scores ranging from 27-40 would be considered high perceived stress. To assess changes in outcomes for perceived stress from beginning of intervention to completion of intervention | 8 weeks | 
| Canadian Occupational Performance Measurement | Changes in components of the COPM that reflect self-care, productivity, and leisure activities may also be analyzed separately in a similar manner using the participants that have rated a problem within these categories among the 5 most important problems used to calculate their total COPM score. | 8 weeks | 
| Mini and Medi Cog | To assess changes in outcomes on managing medications and on short term memory | 8 weeks |