US researchers found that the practice of yogic exercises not only helps reduce episodes of irregular heartbeat but also lifts depression and anxiety in people ailing from the condition. According to experts, a racing and skipping heart is a signal of a heart rhythm abnormality - atrial fibrillation (AF), which not only reduces the amount of blood pumped with each heartbeat but also increases the risk of stroke.
Lead author of the study Dr. Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy, an associate professor with the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, stated, "The practice of yoga is known to improve many risk factors for heart disease including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hardening of the arteries, and stress and inflammation in the body. "There are currently no proven complementary therapies that are known to help decrease the symptoms of atrial fibrillation in a non-invasive fashion with minimal side effects and reasonable safety and efficacy."
Feasibility of yoga for treating AF assessed:- In order to assess the feasibility of yoga for …show more content…
AF is more frequent in men than women. It occurs when the upper chambers (atria) of the heart beat rapidly and chaotically, which can cause the pulse rate to jump to over 100 beats per minute and interfere with the heart's pumping efficiency. Excessive alcohol, thyroid disease, diabetes, hypertension, obstructive disease of the lungs, underlying heart disease, and valvular heart disease can cause AF. There is an urgent need to create an awareness of the disease as it is not recognized as major health hazard. Health experts state that the condition is common and associated with high morbidity and mortality