Effects Of12-week Tai-Chi And Hiking Walk On Autonomic Nervous Regulation Of Coronary Artery Disease Patients

Objective： To examine blood pressure (BP) and heart rate variability (HRV)responses to two different forms of exercise, Tai Chi and hiking walk, in coronaryheart disease patients，and investigate the influence of Tai Chi and hiking walk on theautonomic nervous regulatory function, thus to provide a scientific base forestablishing an optimal exercise form during cardiac rehabilitation.Method：54aged people were recruited as subjects in the study, among them32were diagnosed as coronary artery disease patients in regularly hospitals. Thepatients were all at phase II rehabilitation, and without any contraindications ofgraded exercise testing. For the purpose of the study, they were randomly subdividedinto two groups, i.e. Tai Chi group (n=15) and hiking walk group (n=17)respectively. The CHD patients attended an exercise training program during whichtime the exercise intensity, was monitored by target heart rate, and duration andfrequency were prescribed to60minutes of exercise and three times per weekrespectively. The program lasted12weeks totally.A control group included14non coronary heart disease people (ages:50-65years), who did not participate exercise training in the study. The subjects of the twoexperiment groups were all evaluated the changes of blood pressure and HRV beforeand after the rehabilitation training program, and compared with control group aswell.Result：1）Post cardiac rehabilitation program, Tai Chi group showed a significantreduction in resting blood pressure（P<0.05）and a less blood pressure change after asingle bout of exercise compared with values obtained pre program.2）Post cardiac rehabilitation program, hiking walk group showed a significantreduction in resting blood pressure（P<0.05）and a less blood pressure change after a single bout of exercise compared with values obtained pre program.3）Post cardiac rehabilitation program, Tai Chi group showed a significantincrease in both lnHF and lnTP (P<0.01or P<0.05) and a significant decrease inlnLF (P<0.05) at rest，and a significant increase in LF/HF, lnHF and lnTP (P<0.01orP<0.05) and a significant decrease in lnVLF (P<0.05) after a single bout of exercisecompared with values obtained pre program.4）Post cardiac rehabilitation program, hiking walk group showed a significantincrease in both lnHF and lnTP (P<0.05) and a significant decrease in lnLF(P<0.05),and similar values in lnVLF and LF/HF（p>0.05）at rest，and a significantincrease in lnTP、lnHF、LF/HF（p<0.05）and a significant decrease in lnVLF、lnLF（p<0.05）after a single bout of exercise compared with values obtained preprogram.5）Post cardiac rehabilitation program, Tai Chi group showed a significanthigher values in both lnTP and lnHF (P<0.01or P<0.05) and a similar value in SPB（P>0.05）at rest，and a significant higher values in both lnTP and lnLF (P<0.01orP<0.05) and a significant lower value in blood pressure change after a single bout ofexercise compared with values obtained from walking group.6）Post cardiac rehabilitation program, Tai Chi group showed a significantlower values in both lnHF and lnVLF (P<0.01or P<0.05) and similar values in lnTP,lnLF and LF/HF（P>0.05）at rest，and a significant lower values in lnTP, lnVLF andLF/HF (P<0.05) and similar values in lnLF and lnHF （P>0.05） after a single boutof exercise compared with values obtained from non CHD patients group.7）Post cardiac rehabilitation program, hiking walk group showed a significantlower values in lnTP, lnVLF, lnLF and lnHF (P<0.01) and a significant lower valuesin LF/HF (P<0.05) at rest，and a significant lower values in lnTP, lnLF, lnVLF andlnHF (P<0.01or P<0.05) and similar values in LF/HF （P>0.05） after a single boutof exercise compared with values obtained from non CHD patients group.Conclusion:1) Either Tai Chi or Hiking walk exercise lasted12weeks has positive effect onthe regulation of autonomic nervous. 2) Compared with Tai Chi，Hiking walk, is seemed to have a better effectivenesson post exercise hypotension.3）Tai Chi is more effective to improve HRV than Hiking walking is.