INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF YOGA THERAPY – No. 21 (2011) 73 Acknowledgments: Te authors thank ACYTER yoga instructor Selvi L. Vithiyalakshmi for her assistance during the study. We also thank the directors of MDNIY and JIPMER for their support. Tis study was possible only because ACYTER has been established as a collaborative venture between the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, New Delhi, and JIPMER, Puducherry, with funding from the Department of AYUSH in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Research Immediate Effect of Sukha Pranayama on Cardiovascular Variables in Patients of Hypertension Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, MBBS, ADY, Zeena Sanjay, BNYS, Madanmohan MD, MSc The Advanced Centre for Yoga Therapy, Education and Research, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, Puducherry, India Abstract: Hypertension is one of the most common health disorders, and yoga has been shown to be an efective adjunct therapy in its management. Earlier studies have reported blood pressure (BP)-lowering efects of slow, deep breathing after 3 weeks and 3 months of training and benefcial immediate efects of slow, deep breathing in reducing premature ventricular complexes and lowering blood pressure. None of these immediate studies used the concept of pranayama, involving conscious internal awareness of the whole breathing process. Tis study was undertaken to determine the immediate cardiovascular efects of sukha pranayama in hypertensive patients. Methods: Twenty-three hypertensive patients attending the Yoga OPD at JIPMER were recruited for the study and instructed to perform sukha pranayama for 5 minutes at the rate of 6 breaths/min. Tis pranayama involves conscious, slow and deep breathing with equal duration for inhalation and exhalation. Heart rate (HR) and BP were recorded before and immediately after the intervention. Results: Post-intervention statistical analysis revealed a signifcant (p < .05) reduction in HR and a highly signifcant (p < .001) reduction in systolic pressure, pulse pressure, mean arterial pressure, rate-pressure product, and double product with an insignifcant fall in diastolic pressure. Discussion: It is concluded that sukha pranayama at the rate of 6 breaths/minute can reduce HR and BP in hypertensive patients within 5 minutes of practice. Tis may be due to a normalization of autonomic cardio- vascular rhythms as a result of increased vagal modulation and/or decreased sympathetic activity and improved barorefex sensitivity. Further studies are required to understand possible mechanisms underlying this benefcial immediate efect and to determine how long such a benefcial efect persists. Key words: hypertension, pranayama, yoga, breathing, blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, vagal tone Correspondence: Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani at 25, 2nd Cross, Iyyanar Nagar, Pondicherry, India 605013. ananda@icyer.com.