Impact of Yoga on Cardiac Autonomic Function and Arrhythmias

Author: Krishna Akella1, Sri Harsha Kanuri1, Ghulam Murtaza1, Domenico G Della Rocca2, Naresh Kodwani3, Mohit K Turagam4, Jayaprakash Shenthar5, Deepak Padmanabhan5, Indranill Basu Ray6, Andrea Natale7, Rakesh Gopinathannair8, Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy9
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> Arrhythmia Research Fellow, Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute (KCHRI), Overland Park, KS, USA. <sup>2</sup> Fellow, Texas Heart Rhythm Institute, Austin, TX, USA. <sup>3</sup> Internal Medicine Program Director, Overland Park Regional Medical Center, Overland Park, KS, USA. <sup>4</sup> Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY. <sup>5</sup> Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research , Bangalore , Karnataka, India. <sup>6</sup> The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA; Visiting Professor and Head of Integrative Cardiology, AIIMS, Rishikesh, UK, India. <sup>7</sup> Executive Medical Director, Texas Heart Rhythm Institute, Austin, TX, US. <sup>8</sup> Cardiac Electrophysiology Laboratory Director, KCHRI, Overland Park, KS, USA. <sup>9</sup> Executive Medical Director, KCHRI, Overland Park, KS, USA.
Conference/Journal: J Atr Fibrillation
Date published: 2020 Jun 30
Other: Volume ID: 13 , Issue ID: 1 , Pages: 2408 , Special Notes: doi: 10.4022/jafib.2408. , Word Count: 129


With the expanding integration of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practices in conjunction with modern medicine, yoga has quickly risen to being one of the most common CAM practices across the world. Despite widespread use of yoga, limited studies are available, particularly in the setting of dysrhythmia. Preliminary studies demonstrate promising results from integration of yoga as an adjunct to medical therapy for management of dysrhythmias. In this review, we discuss the role of autonomic nervous system in cardiac arrhythmia,interaction of yoga with autonomic tone and its subsequent impact on these disease states. The role of yoga in specific disease states, and potential future direction for studies assessing the role of yoga in dysrhythmia.

Keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Dysrhythmia; Neurocardiogenic syncope; Ventricular arrhythmia; Yoga.

PMID: 33024508 PMCID: PMC7533135 DOI: 10.4022/jafib.2408