Effects of Breath Awareness Mindfulness Meditation on Heart Rate and Blood Pressure in Cancer Patients: A Preliminary Study

A four-week breath awareness and mindfulness meditation program, practiced three times weekly, significantly reduced heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure in stage II or III cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The control group showed minimal, non-significant changes. The improvements were consistent across age and gender. The intervention appears promising for managing cardiovascular side effects of cancer treatment.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Objectives Cancer and its treatments often disrupt cardiovascular health, leading to fluctuations in heart rate and blood pressure (BP). High stress levels in cancer patients can worsen these issues. Breath Awareness Mindfulness Meditation (BAMM) has emerged as a potential intervention to reduce stress and improve cardiovascular outcomes. However, despite its recognised benefits for general cardiovascular health, the effects of BAMM on heart rate and BP in cancer patients have not been extensively studied. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of BAMM in managing cardiovascular parameters in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Material and Methods This study employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design. Twenty stage II or III cancer patients were purposively sampled and randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. The intervention group practised breath awareness and mindfulness meditation three times a week for four weeks. The study collected sociodemographic data, including age, gender, and education level, as well as clinical data such as cancer stage, treatment type, and duration of illness. Pretest and three post-intervention heart rate (HR) measurements and blood pressure (BP) were taken. Statistical analysis involved repeated measures ANOVA and paired t-tests, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results The sample had a mean age of 52.6 years, and 60% of participants were female. Most patients (70%) were receiving chemotherapy. Regarding clinical characteristics, 65% were in Stage II cancer, while 35% were in Stage III. The intervention group showed a significant reduction in heart rate (F=21.42, p<0.001), systolic blood pressure (F=29.84, p<0.001), and diastolic blood pressure (F=19.90, p<0.001) over the 30 days. In contrast, the control group exhibited minimal and non-significant changes, with a slight increase in systolic blood pressure (F=6.81, p=0.01). When the intervention group was stratified by age and gender, improvements in cardiovascular outcomes were consistent, regardless of demographic or clinical variations. Conclusion Breath Awareness Mindfulness Meditation (BAMM) is a promising intervention for reducing heart rate and blood pressure in cancer patients, independent of sociodemographic or clinical factors. This supports its potential role in addressing the cardiovascular side effects associated with cancer treatment.