The effect of yogic breathing (Pranayama) on heart rate and blood pressure in patients with hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION: Systemic hypertension is a major contributor to global cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Effective management combines pharmacological and lifestyle interventions. Pranayama, a yogic breathing technique, may modulate cardiovascular function, but its impact on hypertension remains uncertain. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42024597502) included RCTs from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and ClinicalTrials.gov up to April 2025. We assessed Risk of bias using Cochrane RoB 2, and pooled effects were reported as standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: = 0 %). Systolic BP decreased significantly under fixed-effects (SMD = -0.72), while diastolic BP and HRV improvements were modest. CONCLUSION: Pranayama lowers heart rate and may modestly reduce blood pressure, supporting its role as a safe, adjunctive therapy pending larger standardized trials.