Hypertension is a common disease in the middle- and old-age people. From the Clinical practice of the combination of Chinese Traditional Medicine with Western Medicine, we observe that in the early - stage hypertension the syndrome complex is mostly the type of deficiency of Liver - yin and kidney - yin and asthenia of liver - yang, while in the hypertensive patients with older age and longer duration it is mostly the type of heart - Qi deficiency and blood stasis (HQDBS) due to age increase and the disease. The earlier research suggested that there is failure of heart, the increase of peripheral resistance, the obstruction of micro - circulation and the pathological and physical variances of the cardiovascular structure in this type of patients.
In our research, the more advanced venous occlusion plethysnograph, etc., were applied to quantitatively analysis the peripheral hemodynamics status and the treatment effect of Qigong on the hypertensive patients of Heart - Qi deficiency type. During the research, we observe varied groups before and after Qigong practice to explore the pathophysiological changes of this type of hypertensive patients and the treatment effect of Qigong. The results are as follows:
1. Comparative Analysis Among Varied Groups
We found that in adult control group the basic resistance of blood flow (R), the minimum resistance of blood flow (Rimin) and the vascular tension (R/Rmin) were l6.18 ±4.22; 1.58 ± 0.28; 10.33 ± 2.37 separately, and they are significantly higher in elder control group, 21.89 ± 5.72; 1.84 ± 0.34 and
12.39 ± 3.22 separately (P < 0.01 - 0.001). Comparing with the elder control group, R and Rmin in elder hypertensive group were further increased to 30.41 ± 7.14 and 2.66 ± 0.63 (P< 0.01), but there -was no statistical significance in R/Rmin. The R, Rmin and R/Rmin in the Qigong group were 27.92 ± 8.08; 2.15 ± 0.42 and 13.38 ± 3.83, in which Rmin decreased significantly (P < 0.001), and there was slight change in R (P> 0.05) comparing with that of elder hypertensive group ,but R and Rmin were still higher than that of elder control group (P < 0.001). There was no significant change in R/Rmin among varied groups. These results suggested that the age and disease were one of the possible mechanisms which caused increase of peripheral vessel resistance, where Qigong could benefit the peripheral hemodynamics status.
2. After a course of half an hour Qigong exercises in 30 subjects of over one - year, Qigong treatment, we found that R and R/Rmin after Qigong were obviously decreased from 27.95 ± 8.08; 13.24 ± 3.83 to 24.78 ± 7.12; 11.52 ± 3.12 (P < 0.001). But after a course of half an hour rest, R and R/Rmin level in the control group had no obvious changes. 26.37 ± 6.31; 11.27 ± 3.33 Vs 29.59 ± 7.40; 10. 18 ± 4.07 (P > 0.05). These suggest that Qigong exercises can improve the peripheral vessel state and decrease resistance of blood flow.
3. After 6 months of Qigong treatment in 30 hypertensive subjects, who are the type of heart - Qi deficiency and blood stasis, R, Rm and R/Rmin level are obviously decreased from 31.42 ± 7.93; 2.55 v 0.59; 12.61 ±1 7.43 to 22.32 v 4.26; 2.02 v 0.33; 11.93 +/- 2.03 (P < 0.05 - 0.001). In addition when the ultra sound technique was simultaneously applied to this research, we found that total peripheral resistance (TPR), cardiac output (CO) of other 30 - case hypertensive patients after Qigong exercise were also ameliorated (2206.94 v 191.19; 4.25 ± 0.75 Vs 2039.1O; 4. l5 ± O.42 (P < 0.05 - 0.01) and the clinical symptoms alleviated, the parameter of cardiac and peripheral hemodynamic were improved after treatment with Qigong.
All these results showed: (1)The increasing of the parameter of peripheral hemodynamic (R, Rmin, R/Rmin) is one of the pathological and physical character of the type of heart - Qi deficiency and blood stasis patients. (2) Qigong exercise can improve the peripheral hemodynamics status. (3) There is high sensitivity, accuracy and easy operation of venous occlusion plethysmograph to be used in this study, which provides a part of objective evidence for Qigong effects of benefiting HQDBS. This might be the mechanism by which HQDBS type of hypertensive was treated.
