T’ai Chi and Blood Pressure
November 1999; Volume 1: 94-95
Source: Young DR, et al. The effects of aerobic exercise and T’ai Chi on blood pressure in older people: Results of a randomized trial. J Am Geriatr Soc 1999;47:277-284.
Design and Setting: A randomized clinical trial in a suburban clinic.
Subjects: Sixty-two sedentary adults older than 60 with mild hypertension (average SBP 130-159 mm Hg, average diastolic blood pressure < 95 mm Hg). Seventy-nine percent of participants were women and 45% were black. Participants were not taking any antihypertensive medication and were not participating in vigorous exercise.
Treatment: Subjects were randomized to an aerobic exercise program or a light intensity T’ai Chi program for 12 weeks. Each class met twice a week for one hour and patients were to supplement with home-based exercise with the goal of exercising four to five times a week for 30 minutes.
Outcome Measures: Systolic end diastolic blood pressure measured every two weeks for 12 weeks with a random zero sphygmomanometer.
Results: Significant reductions in blood pressure were seen in both groups by six weeks with additional reductions during the second six weeks. Both groups experienced a slight increase in body weight. For systolic blood pressure, adjusted mean changes after three months were -8.4 (1.6) mm Hg in the aerobic group and -7.0 (1.6) mm Hg in the T’ai Chi group. For diastolic blood pressure, the aerobic exercise group experienced a -3.2 (1.0) mm Hg decrease, and the T’ai Chi group experienced a -2.4 (1.0) mm Hg reduction.
Initially, weekly class attendance was 90% to the aerobic exercise group and 84% for the T’ai Chi group. By the last three weeks of the trial, approximately half of all subjects attended classes. Throughout the three-month trial, 59% of weekly exercise logs were returned by the aerobic exercise group and 45% of weekly exercise logs were returned by those in the T’ai Chi group. Of those who returned exercise logs, more than 75% of participants in the aerobic exercise group exercised three or more sessions weekly, compared to all of those in the T’ai Chi group.
There was no increase in cardiorespiratory fitness in the either group.
Funding: In part, by HL 02642, awarded to Appel, and RR 00722, awarded to the Johns Hopkins Outpatient General Clinical Resource Center. Funding source not otherwise delineated.
Comments: T’ai Chi is a Chinese exercise regimen that combines concentrated mental effort with graceful, slow, flowing movements. This is a very interesting study that shows similar benefits between a light-intensity exercise regimen and aerobic exercise in reducing blood pressure in elders. Although half of participants were no longer attending classes at 12 weeks, I’m sure this dropout rate is no higher than the average 30-year-old who signs a health club contract.
As the authors point out, T’ai Chi can be performed anywhere at any time, and the fact that it does not require special clothing or equipment may make it a particularly attractive form of exercise for those who do not consider themselves "exercisers." It is inspiring that formerly sedentary elders participated so fully in an exercise program; the level of enthusiasm seems particularly high for the T’ai Chi group. Not only did those in the T’ai Chi group who returned logs exercise four or more sessions weekly, they often exercised multiple sessions a day (from 1-25 sessions weekly, with a median of 10).
November 1999; Volume 1: 94-95
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