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Heart DiseaseTai Chi

Objective benefit with tai chi in chronic heart failure

JR

 The data supporting benefits from tai chi in people with heart failure are growing.

Here’s the latest.

First, the details.

  • 30 patients with chronic heart failure were randomly assigned to receive tai chi plus usual care, or usual care alone.
  • A full range of heart failure patients was included, from no symptoms to severe limitations.

And, the results.

  • At 12 weeks, patients who participated in tai chi showed significantly improved quality of life based on the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire.
  • There was significantly increased exercise capacity.
  • A significant decrease in B-type natriuretic peptide was measured vs the control group.
    • Levels of B-type natriuretic peptide are elevated in patients with heart failure and correlate with the severity of symptoms and the prognosis of the disease.
  • The tai chi group also showed significantly improved sleep stability and estimated total sleep time vs the control group.

The bottom line?
Interesting that an objective measure of heart failure, B-type natriuretic peptide, improved with tai chi.

Others have reported benefits in the past year.

9/6/08 16:51 JR

Hi, I’m JR

John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

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